Glenfarne Community
Glenfarne Community Development Trust are custodians of the Rainbow Ballroom of Romance and are dedicated to developing sustainable communities in the townland of Glenfarne and its environs.
Glenfarne Community Development Trust works to organise and oversee activities at The Rainbow Ballroom at the heart of Glenfarne Village. The Ballroom is an important and vibrant part of our community, hosting the annual Glenfarne Gala since 1969, as well as regular fundraising, Comhaltas and GAA events, concerts, variety shows, social dances, get-togethers, classes, culture and heritage events, public consultations and more. From the Ballroom’s state-of-the-art kitchen, we run a far-reaching Meals on Wheels service for older people living in the surrounding townlands as well as those living rurally off the beaten track. This is a vital resource that supports many people in our community. To register or to find our more about our Meals on Wheels service, please get in touch. For Jobs & Opportunities or to join the GCD Trust, please also get in touch— new members are always welcome.
The Glenfarne Demesne is located on the shores of Lough MacNean, situated between Manorhamilton in North County Leitrim and Blacklion in Cavan.
A stone’s throw from the Rainbow Ballrom is the beautiful Glenfarne Wood and Lough MacNean Sculpture Trail. Visible from our windows are the old Glenfarne Railway Station and the route of the Sligo Leitrim and North Counties Railway line— now a section of Greenway between Sligo to Enniskillen, to be further developed in the coming years. Our stretch of greenway is host to a beautiful mix of trees, plants and bushes (not to mention birds and insects) that brighten up the trail all year 'round.
Glenfarne Wood is a popular place for walking loops of varying lengths and for various abilities as well as boating, fishing, picnics, bird and wildlife watching (we have native and migratory birds, deer, badgers, red squirrels, otters and of course a fair few sheep around) and visiting the woodland's Sculpture Trail, with beautiful pieces made in oak, Leitrim stone, glass and metals placed throughout the landscape. Myles Big Stone, locally known to be an ancient place of worship, can also be found along the trail.
Glenfarne Demesne was once part of the Tottenham Estate, which in the 1870s included over 14,500 acres of land in Leitrim, including its dedicated railway line. The estate was later acquired by Sir Edward Harland of Harland & Wolfe Shipyard in Belfast who used it as a hunting lodge. It is said that the flagstones that line the quay in the shipyard where the Titanic was built came from Glenfarne Estate quarries.
The homestead of the 1916 leader, Seán Mac Diarmada, can be found just a 5 minute drive from the Rainbow, in Kiltyclogher, County Leitrim. Seán MacDiarmada played a pivotal role in planning the Easter Rising of 1916. He was one of the seven signatories that signed the Proclamation of Irish Independence, who, after the Rising was court-martialed and executed by firing squad on 12 May 1916. The Organic Centre in Rossinver is 20 minutes away, with its wholefoods farm shop and café, hosting regular workshops and events. We are just ten minutes from Manorhamilton Town, with all its conveniences.
Glenfarne local amenities include Clancy’s Guesthouse, with its dedicated supermarket, post office and Lavender Restaurant; McHugh’s beautifully kept, family-run bar with its traditional charm; Fees Garage and Service Station, Faley Mac’s welcoming local pub hosting regular game nights and live music, St. Mary’s Chapel of Ease Catholic Church, Glenfarne-Kiltyclogher GAA Club, as well as our local playground and bottle recycling centre.