| |
|
::
SHANNON
:: LOUGH REE |
LOUGH
DERG |
| |
Portumna
is a medium sized town in County Galway on the border
with County Tipperary. You can find just about anything
you might need in this town and there are many fine pubs
and restaurants. The harbour on Lough Derg is at the boundary
of Portumna forest park, 1500 acres of parkland with rich
natural flora and fauna.
|
| |
Terryglass
is a beautiful little village on the shores of Lough
Derg. Terryglass has an atmosphere all of its own, and
is could be quoted as the definitive holiday village.
There is a short walk from the village to the small
harbour on Lough Derg, where there are always plenty
of boats moored.
Terryglass
has one the national tidy towns competition on two occasions,
and is a great place to relax and unwind, or perhaps
take part in some watersports on the lake.
|
| |
Kilgarvan
is a popular stopping point for pleasure
craft on Lough Derg, a small unspoilt village of great
beauty. About 20 minutes walk from the Kilgarvan Quay
is the village of Ballinderry, which has some good pubs
and a shop. When commercial traffic sailed on the river
Shannon, Kilgarvan was one of the principal barley exporting
stations, where barley was shipped to the malting in Banagher.
There are some fine nineteenth century houses in this
area, including Gurthlougha, which was converted into
a country house hotel.
|
| |
Dromineer
is a popular village with anglers and sailing enthusiasts
alike, and there’s always a good cross section of
water sports enthusiasts here in the Summer months. It
was always an important river port, and the castle quay
was built in the early nineteenth century. Dromineer is
also home to Lough Derg Yacht Club, one of the oldest
yacht clubs in the world.
This village is a very popular spot for tourism, and the
quay is well equipped with piers and a children’s
playground. |
| |
Mountshannon
is a lovely rural village where the mountains of Sleive
Aughty meet the waters of Lough Derg. The mountains provide
some breathtaking views of this picturesque village and
river from which its name is derived. The village has
in the past been overall winner of the national tidy towns
competition, and inspires a sense of peace when walking
the tree lined main street. Because of its position on
Lough Derg, the town is a good place for water sports,
including fishing.
The history of Mountshannon is dominated by the nearby
Inishcealtra, or Holy Island. The island is associated
with the names of many early Irish saints, and was founded
by St. Caimin in the seventh century. Like all of the
other monastic sites on the Shannon, it was raided often
by the Vikings. |
| |
Scarriff
is a small village on the river Scarriff, just off Scarriff
bay on Lough Derg. The village was once an important market
town, and today the market survives, and Scariff and the
surrounding areas are renowned for the quality of the
angling. Just a short trip downriver is the village of
Tuamgraney, which can be reached by road or river.
The village is closely linked to TuamGraney, where Brian
Boru, High King of Ireland is reputed to have carried
our repairs to the church in the year 1000. |
| |
Killaloe
is the largest town on Lough Derg and is recognised as
the biggest boating and fishing centre in the three counties
of Clare, Tipperary and Limerick. This town is steeped
in history beginning with the first settlement in the
seventh century, and was once the capital of Clare and
Ireland.
The town hosts many events
during the year, with the 'Feile Brian Boru' in mid-July,
an occasion commemorating the High King of Ireland Brian
Boru who lived here in the eleventh century. Also in July
is the Killaloe music festival, which has become one of
the highlights of the Irish classical music calendar and
has attracted great musicians from all over the world.
The festival takes place within the historic walls of
St Flannan's Cathedral (built between 1185 and 1225).
Killaloe is best remembered as
the home of Brian Boru, a Dalcassian prince who became
High King of Ireland in the eleventh century. Previous
to this, the first abbey was built here by Saint Lua (hence
the name Killaloe – Kill Lua, the church of Lua)
in the seventh century AD, and was located in a small
island on the Shannon about 1km from Killaloe Bridge.
St. Flannan was the abbot of the abbey in the eighth century,
and was son of the then High King and is the patron of
Killaloe. The town continued to be an important town,
with a role to play in almost every major conflict in
Ireland. More recently, there was a whiskey distillery
in the eighteenth century, and a thriving woollen and
cloth industry. The Shannon Steam Navigation had their
headquarters here, and established a regular transport
of goods and people to Athlone, Portumna and Bangher,
and from Banagher by canal to Dublin. |
|
