The Gaelic name of this small town is "An Lionan" means "throat", and it well explains the particular location of Leenaun, which stands on the inner shore of Killary fiord. Apart from a pair of typical pubs - Hamilton's and Gaynor's - you can find some hotels, a restaurant, numerous gift shops and the Sheep and Wool Centre, which describes the various stages of the wool processing, from sheep coat to Aran sweater.

Across the village is still alive the memory of the days when The field was shot in this location. In 2015 a festival was held in Leenaun to celebrate the 25th anniversary of film-making; the director Jim Sheridan, the special guest of the celebrations, gave again the action to some locals recreating the most striking moments of the movie; among them Seamus Nee, who already acted in the original version.

Every year Leenaun hosts some relevant events related to sheep farming: the Blackface Sheep Show, in mid-September and the Ram Fair in October. Farmers arrive in the village even from distant areas like South Connemara and North Mayo to enter their best ewes and rams.

Nearby you should visit the Aasleagh falls, just beside the road to Louisburgh. Though the attribute of waterfalls is a bit sounding (especially in comparison to alpine waterfalls...), nevertheless it is pleasant to wander in the unspoiled countryside along the river Erriff.

On the way to the aforementioned falls, there is also a Holy Well dedicated to St. Joseph.