The visitor will find much to do and see in Portumna, County Galway, a Georgian town set on the idyllic banks of the River Shannon, at the head of Lough Derg. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg. This historic crossing point over the River Shannon between counties Tipperary and Galway has a long history of bridges and ferry crossings. Noted for its wooded landscape (the town's name comes from the Irish "Port Omna" , meaning "the landing place of the Oak Tree"), Portumna also boasts of an impressive 607 hectare (1,500 acre) Forest Park which has been developed as a public amenity. Next to the Forest Park is Portumna Castle and Gardens built in 1618, and is an attraction well worth visiting. Portumna is one of the main centres watersports on the lake and the town centre is weveral hundred metres the Lough Derg shoreline.
Rossmore is a village near Woodford Co Galway. It lies at the foot of the Slieve Aughty Mountains, perfect for hiking and biking. The pier is on the mouth of the Woodford River in secluded surroundings. There is good fishing from the pier for pike, perch, bream and rudd. An especially nice spot for camping.
Dromaan and Williamstown harbours, which are located within walking distance of each other, are good locations on Lough Derg for watersports including canoeing. The Benjamin Rocks navigation marker nearby is one of several distinctive navigation landmarks in this area. Whitegate Village is located 3km from the harbours, on the Clare-Galway border.
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Mountshannon and Holy Island
A previous winner of Ireland's prestigious 'National Tidy Towns' award, Mountshannon is an attractive village near the Clare shoreline of Lough Derg. With the reconstruction of its harbour, the village is now one of the principal stopping places on the lake for boats. Those interested in heritage should take a fascinating stroll around the unique 1.8 hectare Aistear Park.
Holy Island, which lies at the mouth of Scarriff Bay on Lough Derg, is one of the most famous monastic sites in Ireland. The island, which derives its name from 'Inis Cealtra' meaning the 'island of the burial ground' or 'island of monastic cells', was founded by St.Columb in the 6th Century. The island community was plundered by the Vikings on numerous occasions, and after one of these was rebuilt under the auspices of Brian Boru, whose brother Marcan was bishop-abbot of the island in the 10th Century. The 50-acre island boasts a well preserved 80-foot tall round tower, early monastic cells and the ruins of six churches. Romanesque Arches from the 12th century can also be seen.
Scarriff, the east Clare capital, is accessible from Lough Derg via the narrow, winding channel of the Scarriff River. The indented, wooded shoreline, numerous islands and surrounding uplands are complemented by fascinating cultural features including Castle Bawn. Scarriff town, which is somewhat removed from the waterway offers a variety of visitor facilities. Scarriff, the East Clare capital, is an important market town which offers excellent facilities for the visitor interested in either active pursuits or leisurely sightseeing. The town is a noted angling centre, with wide appeal for both coarse and game anglers in the surrounding East Clare Lakelands comprised of over 40 lakes and rivers.
Other activity options in the area include boating, golf at the nearby 18-hole championship East Clare Golf Club and equestrian sports.
Each year, the Scarriff Harbour Festival provides great entertainment and spectacle. The open-air, street-based event celebrates the many attractions and amenities of Lough Derg and showcases local community-based arts, crafts, and music ranging from traditional to jazz. There are a number of restaurants and pubs in the town itself, and the area is noted also as a centre for good traditional Irish music and amateur drama.
The town offers a fine base for touring the interesting Clare countryside in the hinterland of Lough Derg. In Scarriff itself, Cahir Island dominates the bay along with the ruins of Ballykelly Castle on the neighbouring island.
For those with an interest in biodiversity, Scarriff is home to the Irish Seed Savers Association, which is a charity that collects, conserves, researches and grows varieties of fruit, grains and vegetables. The Association holds a number of public events, courses and open days throughout the year.
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Ballycuggeran (TwoMileGate)
Two-Mile-Gate is situated 3km from Killaloe on the west side of the lake. This renowned beauty spot provides one of Lough Derg's two Blue Flag Beaches, indicating that it reaches a high level of environmental quality. As well as being a safe bathing area, it is a popular location for wind-surfing and sailing.
This is a lovely area for a picnic and also provides pleasant family-friendly walks around Rinnaman Point. For the more active, the 9km Ballycuggeran Loop Walk starts at this point. This walk ascends to 270m and offers stunning views of Lough Derg.
Located nearby is one of Lough Derg's premier outdoor activity centres - the University of Limerick Activity Centre. With over 15 years experience in the outdoor adventure sector, the custom-built centre caters for a range of water-based activities including sailing, powerboating, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing and dragon boating. It also offers high ropes courses, team challenge, orienteering and archery. More information is available at www.ulac.ie.
Straddling the Clare - Tipperary border, the twin towns of Killaloe/Ballina have a unique setting on Lough Derg. They are steeped in the history and traditions surrounding the last Irish High King, Brian Boru and the bishops of Killaloe. A 13 arch stone bridge, dating from around 1760, spans the waterway between the two towns.
The towns are hugely popular with visitors who come to enjoy its watersports and bustling pubs and restaurants. In Killaloe you have a network of charming narrow streets, flanked by old shops and houses that climb up the steep hillside and down over the 13th century cathedral. A fascinating Historical Town Trail explores the rich heritage of the area, featuring many sites associated with Brian Boru as well as important ecclesistical monuments dating back to medieval times.
The Riverside Park in Ballina provides many amenities including a purpose-built children's playground, an outdoor swimming pool, showers & changing facilities, pleasant walks, wildlife information, as well as picnic and BBQ facilities.
Killaloe-Ballina is also a centre for water-based activities on Lough Derg such as cruising, angling and boat hire. Walkers should note that two of the region's premier long-distance walks have their Trailheads in Killaloe/Ballina. The spectacular 65km Lough Derg Way starts in Limerick City and follows the Shannon and its canals through Killaloe and on to Dromineer in Tipperary. The 172km East Clare Way is an extensive circular route through the wild and varied scenery of East Clare.
The Tourist Office located on the bridge provides all tourism services and information (Tel 061-376866, open May-September) and the attached Heritage Centre traces the story of Brian Boru, the arrival of Christianity into Ireland, and the development of the River Shannon for transport.
Castlelough is on the banks of Lough Derg, 5km from Portroe village. Features include a picnic site, woodland walking trails and viewing points. The woods comprise over 50 hectares of mixed woodland that include a network of forest roads and trails which the walker is welcome to investigate. There is a broad range of tree species to be found in Castlelough - part of the legacy from its estate days. Some trails skirt the shoreline of Lough Derg. Ornithologists may also be enticed as the lough is a Special Protection Area (SPA) for breeding and wintering birds such as Common Tern, Black Headed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck and Whooper Swan.
Garrykennedy is a historic harbour village on the lake's North Tipperary shoreline. Up to the 1950s, it was a busy port with regular visits by the barges delivering barrels of stout. In recent years the area has been developed to cater for the needs of visitors.There is a lot for paddlers to explore in and around the village too, including the remains of the O'Kennedy tower house, built in 1480.
Dromineer, which is located on the eastern shores of Lough Derg in Co. Tipperary, is one of the oldest villages located on the Lough.
The harbour is also home to the Lough Derg Yacht Club, which was founded in 1835 and is the third oldest sailing club in the world. There are also excellent trails and picnic areas nearby.
Kilgarvan Quay, south of Terryglass on the Tipperary side, is an area of unspoiled beauty. The centre of Ballinderry is only 3.2km from Kilgarvan Quay. This attractive village in North Tipperary in the north eastern part of the lake has a number of new and old commercial buildings and a well presented cluster of houses.
This 'National Tidy Town' award-winning village and northernmost lakeside village in North Tipperary offers a splendid setting as a
holiday base. The pretty village also has a long and distinguished history, with a monastery being founded there by St. Columb in 549 A.D.
The famous Book of Leinster was produced at the monastery around 1150, which can now be seen in Trinity College, Dublin.
