A woman who believes in fairies has created a fairyland at the foot of Knocknashee, one of Ireland's seven sacred hills and County Sligo's legendary Hill of the Fairies.

Knocknashee, near Lavagh, Ballymote, is 900 feet high. Its flat top, green and lush is one square mile and, unlike other hills in the area, is without heather. At its foot are the ruins of Court Abbey, an imposing edifice with a 90 foot high tower built by the O'Haras in the 15th century for the Franciscans.

In older Irish Knocknashee is known as Mullinabreena, the Hill of the Fairy Mansion or Palace and with its picturesque outline, deserves the honour the Fairies, or the Good People, paid it by making it their headquarters in Lower Connaught.

It was to this area that Lady Melody Urquhart, the Baroness of Leyny, was drawn when she decided to turn her back on fame and fortune in England as a choreographer, producer and director, and owner of a finishing school.

"I wanted to build a Park, a land of imagination, designed to capture the hearts of all who visit it, where it is possible to rediscover our mythological and cultural past in a place of natural beauty, Lady Melody told me when I visited Gillighan's World, her oasis of peace and the fullfilment of all her dreams.

"It is fun and education all for children, and for the child in all of us, and a haven for those seeking spiritual tranquility."

The whole concept of the Park began in 1993 when Lady Melody came from England with her daughter, Chantelle, who was then 11. "I love history," she told me, "and took a break from big business to tour the Barony of Leyny which consists of 120,000 acres stretching from Charlestown, Co. Mayo, to Beltra, Co. Sligo, and taking in all the Ox Mountains."

But although she searched for five days she could not find Knocknashee and returned to England very disappointed. However the following month she was back in Ireland looking for the hill and this time she was successful.

In 1995, after two years of intense study of the history of the area, Lady Melody walked out of everything she had in England and moved to County Sligo.

mountain retreat where people could be at peace in the shadow of the Fairy Hill.

"I had done many things in my life but I had never created a Park before," she said. "It is simplicity itself. There is no machinery, no television, only happy people. It was a frightening project because of its simplicity."

"There has been a transformation. But it has not been easy. I have suffered broken fingernails, thorns everywhere and working in the rain. That has been the hard bit."

"But now you can go anywhere in the world and not find any place more beautiful. Everyone wants peace in themselves. There are times when I sit here at night and savour the spiritual feel of the place. It is a magic spot. My dream has come true."

When the Park was blessed last year by local curate, Fr. Tom Johnston, Lady Melody dedicated it to the Irish people and to her mother. "I built a garden for them," she said. "And when I heard that this land was owned by the Gillighan family in the 1900s I decided to call it Gillighan's World. I think it is a wonderful name."

"At the beginning local people thought of me as the mad Englishwoman who believes in fairies. But I am proud to be in the company of Yeats, Lady Gregory and many others who also believed in fairies.

"Now the response to Gillighan's World is pride. People see what I am trying to do and realise it is nice to have somewhere to go. It takes them back to their childhood and they see it through the eyes of a child."

Gillighan's World is entered through a narrow tunnel which depicts the narrowness people experience in their lives. Then emerging from the tunnel the world opens up and there in front of them is Gillighan's World. They see the Fairy Kingdom with its Mushroom and Lilliput towns, Gillighan's Pet Village with donkeys, swans, ponies, a fish house, leprechauns, witches, and Aquatic Cave and Gillighan's Treasure Chest supplying ice cream and souvenirs.

After strolling through enchanted gardens and glades, complete with waterfalls, visitors walk up a hill to a Fairy Fort and enjoy the panoramic views. Grazing nearby are Jacob's sheep, the oldest breed of sheep in the world.

Children take part in a quiz and magical word maze, and visitors get a personally signed certificate from Lady Melody as a memento of their visit. It is inscribed, "Remember Knocknashee, In the Land of Heart's Desire, A Fairy Place, of peace and grace, and dreams the soul inspire".

"Gillighan's World is going very well", Lady Melody said. "Last year we opened only for the month of August but this year we have had over 2000 visitors since May. We get school and play school groups and many of the children make a return visit with their families. the children write to me to tell me how much they love it here and I keep all their letters in a scrap book."

Lady Melody likes to sit with visitors and talk to them. She puts great store on the personal touch and kindness to people. "To lose those qualities would be the greatest loss of all", she said. "One man actually cried when he visited us. He said he had never felt such peace in all his life".

"Gillighan's World brings out the goodness in people. We show them how to be happy and tell children that animals trust them. I watch the wonder in the faces of those who have never touched an animal before. My dreams have really come true."

Lady Melody is proud of her 11 year old son, Dane, who takes visitors on the tour of Gillighan's World and astounds them with his knowledge of history and mythology.

Next year the Park will be extended to include cycling tours around the Ox Mountains.

Asked about her title, the Baroness of Leyny, Lady Melody said a title is useless unless the bearer of it does good. "I only want to do good by having it. That is all it means to me. This area will never now be forgotten but will remain. I have assured that by creating Gillighan's World".