Keshcarrigan is a small village next to Lough Scur which lies at the foot of the Sheebeg and Sheemore hills. It is a popular stopover point for cruisers along the canal and has a well-maintained marina. At lock 12 is Kelleher’s shop; it is well worth visiting and has a surprisingly extensive array of organic and unusual produce including goose eggs, exotic jams and wonderful homemade breads. The town itself has two popular pubs which are busy at the weekends.
There is an ancient pagan burial site which can be seen from the Lough. This area has been inhabited for over 3000 years. The Keshcarrigan Bowl was found here in 1854 and dates back to the Bronze Age. It is currently exhibited in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.
The old mythical Irish character of Finn McCumhaill is said to be buried deep into Sheebeg Hill. One of the legends of Finn McCumhaill is that in a fight with another Scottish giant, he dug out a fist of earth, which is now Lough Neagh and threw it at the Scottish giant. He missed his target and the lump of earth fell into the Irish Sea, creating the Isle of Man.
Next to the canal is the wonderful Gerties Bar and Restaurant which attracts boats users throughout the season. The bar always has a great athmoshere and the food is suberb. Ocassionally during the summer months live music is played at the weekends and the the pub is very popular among locals and visiting tourists.
General Humbert marched through the town with his United Irish and French contingents towards Ballinamuck during the 1798 rebellion. The Battle of Ballinamuck on the 8th of September 1798 is where he would make his last stand. They faced a massive army of some 26,000 men and they never stood a chance. The battle was finished within an hour with over 500 hundred casualties on the defeated side. There is a visitors centre in Ballinamuck which recounts this battle and tours of the site are also provided here.
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