 The Mountirwin Centre consists of a replica of a traditional thatched cottage in a style typical of the locality, closely modelled on Michael Coleman's family home, and a modern building with a traditional style forge attached. The Centre's archive is located in this modern building. The archive consists of a large body of instrumental music and song, as well as a considerable amount of oral material charting the history and folklore associated with the people and the music. It is without doubt the most comprehensive archive collection of the south Sligo-north Connacht tradition in existence.
A few metres to the left of the Heritage Centre (as you stand with your back to it), and across the road, is the monument to the memory of Michael Coleman, which was erected in 1974 by the Coleman Traditional Society in co-operation with the Coleman Memorial Committee.
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Joe O'Dowd
About 3 km north of Gurteen village, is Knockna-skeagh, birthplace of another famous Sligo fiddle player, Joe O'Dowd, in 1913.
Having spent some time in London, Joe returned to Ireland in 1939. He contributed enormously to the musical life of the county until his untimely death in 1987. His wife and son are also well known and respected musicians in their own right, and play and teach in Ireland and internationally.
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