County Longford Waterways
River Shannon
Ireland's longest river, the Shannon, flows through 11 counties, including County Longford. Meaning 'wise river', it is named after Sionnan, granddaughter of a sea deity in Celtic mythology, Manannán Mac Lir or 'Son of the Sea'.
The River Shannon offers excellent fishing, with pike, bream, perch, roach, rudd and trench on offer. It is also ideal for boating holidays, with 220km of cruising water, only six locks and plenty of historic sights and natural landscapes to see and explore.
Royal Canal
The Royal Canal stretches from County Longford to Dublin City, passing through Maynooth, Kilcock, Enfield, and Mullingar. In County Longford, you can explore the Royal Canal at the Whitworth Aquaduct, Abbeyshule, Ballybrannigan Harbour, Ballymahon, Keenagh, Killashee and at Richmond Harbour in Cloondara.
The Royal Canal has a 200-year history. Originally for freight and passenger transportation, work started in 1790 and reached the Shannon in 1817. An expensive project, the construction cost £1,421,954.
The National Famine Way takes the same route as the Royal Canal. This was an arduous walk taken by the 'missing 1,490', tenants of Strokestown House in County Roscommon in May 1847. In Dublin, they were put on boats to Liverpool, and from there to Quebec aboard four coffin ships. It is estimated that half died before reaching Grosse Île in Canada.
Richmond Harbour
Located in Cloondara village, Richmond Harbour is the starting point of the Royal Canal and its Greenway and where it meets with the River Shannon and the River Camlin.
Completed in 1817, it is still in use today for the mooring of boats from the Shannon via the River Camlin. Restoration works also took place on the nearby Cloondara canal and lock, which can also be explored.
River Camlin
The River Camlin is a tributary of the River Shannon. Rising near Granard, it flows through Clonbroney, Ballinalee, and Longford Town along The Mall (also called Albert Reynolds Peace Park), and enters the Shannon near Cloondara.
The Camlin is navigable for part of its course and is popular with anglers and kayakers, with a 10km Camlin River Loop Blueway starting at Richmond Harbour in Cloondara via Tarmonbarry and then back to Cloondara.
River Inny
The River Inny is 88.5km long and flows through counties Meath, Cavan, Westmeath and Longford, draining into Lough Ree. In County Longford, it flows through Ballymahon and Abbeyshrule.
There is abundant wildlife along the Inny, which can be attributed to the fact that it is one of the cleanest rivers in Ireland. It is great for fishing, kayaking and canoeing.
Lough Ree
Known as Loch Rí in Irish, meaning 'Lake of the Kings', Lough Ree is the second-largest lake on the River Shannon. It is located on the Longford-Westmeath-Roscommon border, with Lanesborough in County Longford situated at the northern part of the lake.
It is a place of Irish myths and legends and home to many islands, including Saints Island and Inishcleraun (or Quaker Island).
Saints Island
Located close to Newtowncashel on the southeastern shore of Lough Ree is Saints Island. It is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. It is rich in wildlife, particularly migrating birds.
The Island has an equally rich history, with the ruins of the Augustinian Priory of All Saints located on the northwest corner of the island. It and its burial ground are open to the public.
Saints Island is also an ideal location for kayaking.
Inishcleraun or Quaker Island
Inchcleraun Monastic Site, also known as Quaker Island, is a beautiful island located in Lough Ree.
The island has connections with Queen Maeve of Connacht, and was the site of early Christian and medieval churches.
The island is only accessible by boat. Situated 10km south of Lanesborough, boat hire is available both in Athlone, Carrick-on-Shannon and at Tarmonbarry/Clondra. Check with Lough Ree Access for All for details on booking a boat trip to the island.
Please note that the farmland on the island is in private ownership.
Barley Harbour
Barley Harbour is situated on the eastern side of Lough Ree, within walking distance of Newtowncashel. The nearby Saints Island is home to the ruins of a 15th century Augustan monastery, which is open for exploring.
Lough Gowna
Lough Gowna is a freshwater lake. It is the uppermost lake on the River Erne, located on the border between counties Longford and Cavan.
The lake's north and east shores are surrounded by peat bog. Areas of planted woodland are along the southern shores in the townlands of Derrycassan and Culray, County Longford. The north-west and south-west of the lake are connected by a narrow channel at Dernaferst in County Cavan.
The lake has one large island, Inchmore. This was the site of a monastery founded in the sixth century by Saint Colmcille. In 804, it was raided, looted and burned by the Vikings. During the twelfth century, the abbey conformed to Augustinian rules until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1543. The remains of the abbey are still to be seen on the island.
The site was used as a graveyard by the local population until early in the twentieth century. A fifteenth-century tower bell, reputedly from the monastery, was recovered in the nineteenth century and now hangs in the Roman Catholic church in the nearby village of Aughnacliffe.
Gowna is quite a shallow lake, with depths averaging between 2m to 8m. Greater depths up to 15 metres are to be found at the southern part of the lake near Dring.
The lake is considered to be an important site for wintering wildfowl.
It is a great spot for coarse fishing. There are picnic sites at Dernaferst and at Derrycassin Woods, Dring, the southernmost point of Lough Gowna.
Dring Lake
Dring Lake is located in North Longford and is a townland of Mullinalaghta. A scenic spot, Derrycassin Woods is located on its shores and is a great place for walking trails.
Kayaking is popular and you can push a boat out at Dring and make your way across the waters to Inchmore Island.
