The Celtic Cruise

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The Celtic Cruise

Carrick-on-Shannon <=> Portumna

Visit Portumna’s impressive castle set in beautiful surroundings overlooking Lough Derg and Portumna Forest Park. Enjoy local hospitality en route in Lanesborough, Athlone and Shannonbridge and visit the ancient monastic site at Clonmacnoise.

Distance: 160 km
Cruising Time: 20 hrs
Locks: 5
Bridges: 2
One Way - Either Direction

Carrick-on-Shannon <=> Portumna

Roosky

This picturesque village is an important boating harbour on the River Shannon with many attractive mooring places. There are some lovely walks here.

Tarmonbarry

A good overnight stop, only a short distance from two good pubs which offer quality bar food. A short walk to Richmond harbour in Clondra which is the start of the Royal Canal which finishes In Dublin

Lanesborough

Lanesborough Town is linked by a bridge to its sister village Ballyleague in County Roscommon. Within a couple of minutes walk from the Shannon you will find supermarkets, newsagents, tourist office, pubs, restaurants, a pitch & putt course and tennis courts. Lanesborough is renowned for excellent course fishing bream, tench, roach, pike, perch and eels are common

Athlone

Athlone, the capital of the Midlands, is a busy town with a good range of shops, including a vast array of knitwear, Celtic crafts and souvenirs as well as some excellent restaurants and pubs. The newly opened 'Athlone Town centre' shopping mall offers many large department stores

Ballinasloe

A town steeped in history and renowned for it's architectural character. It is also the main angling centre on the River Suck.

Shannonbridge

This is the point where counties Offaly, Roscommon and Galway meet and the River Suck joins the Shannon: hence the strategically placed and massive artillery Fortification dating from Napoleonic times, now restored and in use as a restaurant. The village of Shannonbridge is an old and long established angling centre

Banagher

The town, a typical rural Irish market town, attracts thousands of visitors each year for some great fishing. The recently built marina offers superb facilities for all who stay here and has a wonderful array of both restaurants and pubs and lively music sessions which can last into the small hours especially during the long summer evenings.

Portumna

Situated at the head of Lough Derg ( the most scenically attractive lake of the Shannon system), Portumna is one of Galway's most attractive towns and is famous for Portumna Castle which both King James I and Queen Elizabeth I of England visited, and for the lords that lived there. Portumna Forest Park provides a mile long sign-posted trail that guides you through a marvellous world of common and exotic trees. The name Portumna derives from the Irish Port Omna, meaning the landing place of the oak tree.