Sligo Bay

{{Infobox body of water

|name = Sligo Bay

|image = Sligo bay from knocknarea.png

|caption = Sligo Bay from Knocknarea

|image_map = Loughgillsatmap.jpg

|image_bathymetry =

|caption_bathymetry =

|pushpin_map=Ireland

|location = County Sligo

|coords = {{coord|54|17|56|N|8|38|43|W|region:IE_type:waterbody_scale:500000|display=inline,title}}

|rivers =

|oceans = Atlantic Ocean

|countries = Ireland

|length =

|width =

|area =

|depth =

|max-depth =

|volume =

|shore =

|salinity =

|frozen =

|islands =Coney, Oyster, Maguins

|cities = Sligo, Rosses Point, Ballysadare, Drumcliff

|reference =

}}

Sligo Bay ({{lga|Cuan Shligigh}}){{cite web |url= http://www.logainm.ie/ga/112092?s=Sligo+Bay |title= Cuan Shligigh |author= |date= |website= Placenames Database of Ireland |publisher= Dublin City University |accessdate=30 May 2015}} is a natural ocean bay in County Sligo, Ireland.

Geography

File:Stony beach at Drumcliffe bay - geograph.org.uk - 811036.jpg

Sligo Bay is opened between Aughris Head (South side) and Roskeeragh Point (North).{{cite web | title=Sea Fishing around Sligo | url = http://www.fishinginireland.info/sea/northwest/sligo.htm | website =www.fishinginireland.info | accessdate=2015-05-29}} The inner part of the bay is divided into three smaller bodies of water, hosting the estuaries of three rivers: Drumcliff, Garavogue and Bonet.{{cite web | title=Sligo Bay | url = http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1574474/Sligo-Bay | website =www.britannica.com | publisher = Encyclopædia Britannica | accessdate=2015-05-29}}

The river Garavogue reaches the bay in its central part, named Sligo Harbour, which is divided from the outer part of the bay by three small islands: Coney, Oyster and Maguins. On the southern branch of Sligo Bay also has its mouth the Ballisodare River, near the village of the same name.

=Landforms and islands=

The bay is characterised by the peninsulas jutting out into it, which create vast areas of sandy beach at low tide, along with the tidal islands which are only accessible at low tide. The notable landforms within the bay and its peninsulas are:

History

Large beaches and tidal plains located around the bay are a good habitat for shellfish. This kind of food attracted settlers since the Stone Age, as demonstrated by a number of middens discovered in the area by archeologists.{{cite web | title=Sligo Bay - Cuan Sligeach | url = http://www.infomar.ie/surveying/Bays/Sligov1.php | website =www.infomar.ie | publisher = Geological Survey of Ireland | accessdate=2015-05-30}}

During the centuries in waters of the bay occurred several shipwrecks. Quite well studied is the wreck of Labia (25 September 1588), a 728-ton Venetian ship.{{cite book | title=Sveti Pavao Shipwreck: A 16th century Venetian merchantman from Mljet, Croatia |author1=Carlo Beltrame |author2=Sauro Gelichi |author3=Igor Miholjek |author-link2=Sauro Gelichi | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qxhvBQAAQBAJ&q=sligo+bay+shipwrecks&pg=PA43 | publisher = Oxbow Books | year = 2014 |isbn=9781782977063 |accessdate=2015-05-30}} Shipwrecks became almost common during the following centuries{{cite web | title=SLIGO | url = http://www.irishwrecksonline.net/Lists/SligoLeitrimList.htm | website =www.irishwrecksonline.net | publisher = Geological Survey of Ireland | accessdate=2015-05-30}} and their number started to decrease with the decline of the port of Sligo in the 20th century.{{fact|date=October 2020}}

Transport

Sligo Airport is located on the bay's shore, at the foot of Knocknarea, a hill which overlooks the peninsula between Sligo Harbour and Ballysadare Bay (Bonet estuary).

Lighthouses

There are four lighthouses in Sligo Bay.

=Blackrock (Sligo) Lighthouse=

The 25m high Blackrock lighthouse {{coord|54|18|28|N|8|37|4|W|display=inline}} in Sligo Bay is notable for having external steps until halfway up the tower.{{cite web|url=http://irishlighthouses.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/blackrock-lighthouse-co-sligo.html |title=Blackrock Lighthouse co. Sligo |accessdate=2017-03-29|date=2009-05-04}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irishlights.ie/safety-navigation/our-lighthouses/lower-rosses.aspx|accessdate=2017-03-29|title=Black Rock (Sligo)|publisher=Commissioners of Irish Lights}}

=Lighthouses near Rosses Point=

Sligo Bay hosts three lighthouses near Rosses Point, the Metal Man, Lower Rosses and Oyster Island lighthouses.

Hiking

Sligo Bay is concerned by the Donegal to Mayo section of the Wild Atlantic Way.{{cite web | title=Donegal to Mayo section | publisher =Fáilte Ireland | url = http://www.discoverireland.ie/Wild-Atlantic-Way/Donegal-to-Mayo | website =www.discoverireland.ie| accessdate=2015-05-29}}

Nature

File:Ballysadare-bay.jpg

Ballysadare Bay hosts a well known seal colony.{{cite web | title=Ballisodare Bay & the Seal Colony | url = http://sligokayaktours.com/featured/ballisodare-bay-the-seal-colony/ | website =sligokayaktours.com | accessdate=2015-05-29}}

The estuaries area is protected under European legislation being listed as a NATURA 2000 site; it is also a Natural Heritage Area, defined and managed by the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service.{{cite web | title=Estuary Conservation | url = http://sligokayaktours.com/featured/ballisodare-bay-the-seal-colony/ | website =sligokayaktours.com | accessdate=2015-05-29}}