Streedagh Beach Hike | #ExploringSligo | HD

Streedagh Strand is an impressive 3km long sandy beach located on the north western shore of a sandbar linking Streedagh Point to an area known as Connor’s Island. This is an exposed beach with reef breaks which create ideal surfing conditions all year round.
This linear coastal route takes the walker along a narrow strip of Atlantic coastline and provides access to various rocks embedded with fossils as well as the famous Spanish Armada shipwreck site.
Three ships belonging to the Spanish Armada were wrecked on Streedagh Beach in 1588. The armada was amassed to attack and if possible wipe out the English navy fleet. However subsequent to the decisive battle of Gravelines, a battle which the Spanish lost, the fleet fled north rounding Scotland and Ireland in the hope of returning to Spain. The ships were attempting to shelter from a ferocious Atlantic storm, however, given the severity of the weather they came aground and were wrecked. The sailors that landed at Streedagh were massacred by English troops garrisoned in Sligo, however, some survived through a mixture of good fortune and assistance from some of the Irish chieftains of the area. Captain De Cuellar’s account of his experience of these events is an extremely significant piece of social history and his epic journey back to his homeland is commemorated to this day as part of the Celtic Fringe Festival, held in Grange each September.
The carboniferous limestone rocks at Streedagh contain many species of fossil coral. Zaphrentis are particularly common here, formed about four hundred million years ago.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/simon-folwar/against-all-odds
and #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/a-seafaring-adventure