Carrick-on-Shannon is the county town of County Leitrim in northwest Ireland, and grew up at a place where the Shannon could be forded. (A soggy experience, as the town's Irish name of Cora Droma Rúisc means "weir of the marshy ridge"). Later the river was bridged, so Carrick and the south bank village of Cortober in County Roscommon became a single settlement. In the early 19th century Carrick was an important river port when the Shannon navigation was improved, and the Royal Canal connected all the way to Dublin. Water traffic faded with the coming of the railways, but in the 20th / 21st century was revived by pleasure craft. In 2022 Carrick had a population of 4700.
Get in
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Although the town is often simply referred to as Carrick, always give it the full "on Shannon" when organising transport, as several other places are named for An Charraig, a crag or rock.
Trains from Dublin Connolly take 2 hr 20 min via Drumcondra, Maynooth, Mullingar, Longford and Dromod, and continue to Boyle, Ballymote and Sligo. They're every hour or two, see Irish Rail for timetables, fares and online tickets.
1 Carrick railway station is on the retail park south bank of the river, 1 km from town centre. The ticket office is staffed M-F 7AM-4PM and there are ticket machines and toilets.
Expressway Bus 23 runs six times a day from Dublin Busáras, taking 3 hours via Dublin Airport, Lucan, Maynooth, Mullingar, Longford and Dromod, and continuing from Carrick to Boyle and Sligo; it bypasses Ballymote. The town bus stop is on N4 opposite Landmark Hotel.
Local Link Bus 567 runs four times a day from Manorhamilton, taking 1 hr 40 min via Dromahair, Drumshanbo and Leitrim. From Drumshanbo is every hour or two.
By road from Dublin follow M4 then N4 through Mullingar and Longford.
The Shannon is navigable by small craft at Carrick and linked by canals north to Drumshanbo and Lough Allen, northeast to Enniskillen, south to Athlone and Limerick, and east to Dublin and Waterford.
Get around
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The town won't take long to explore on foot. You need wheels or a boat to explore along the river.
Local Link Bus 564 runs 3 or 4 times a day from Carrick to Jamestown, Dromod, Mohill, Fenagh and Ballinamore.
Taxi firms are Leitrim Taxis (+353 83 856 9506) and Carrick on Shannon Taxis (+353 86 823 2424).
See
[edit]- 1 Costello's Memorial Chapel
was built in 1879 by Edward Costello for his late wife, and he himself was buried there in 1891. It's not been used as a chapel since but was restored in 2010. Measuring only 16 ft by 12 ft (4.88 x 3.66 m), it's one of the world's smallest churches. - Churches of normal size are St Mary's (Roman Catholic) and St George's (Church of Ireland), side-by-side on Main St and both built in the 19th century.
- Castle: if there's an award for Ireland's most ruined castle then here's a contender, a little knuckle of masonry by the bridge.
- Hatley Manor is an elegant mansion of 1830 on St George's Terrace. It's privately owned, no tours.
- 2 The Workhouse is now St Patrick's Community Hospital. A plaque marks the Famine graveyard next to it. An inspector of 1846 rated this workhouse the worst he had ever seen.
- 3 Drumsna, home to Anthony Trollope in the 1840s, has a scenic stone river bridge. This was the upper limit of navigation of the Shannon until a 2.6-km canal was cut to bypass the shallows, enabling shipping to reach Carrick and beyond. The old locks and lock-keeper's cottage still stand.
- 4 Jamestown, the upstream end of the canal, has another stone bridge and the gnarly stump of an abbey on the Leitrim riverbank.
- 5 Leitrim is a village 5 km upriver from Carrick, with O'Rourke's Castle the scrappy remains of a 15th-century tower house. It's the upper limit of natural navigation of the River Shannon, which above here is shallow in its descent from Lough Allen. That meant it could be forded: in 1270 the Normans marched here but were routed by the Irish of Connacht, and the place previously called "the ford with the tree-stump" became known as Battlebridge. Lough Allen Canal ascends from Battlebridge (1 km northwest of Leitrim) to Acres Lough, Drumshanbo and into the extensive Lough Allen; there's no onward navigation from there. Leitrim village however is the south terminus of the 63 km Shannon-Erne waterway, re-opened to navigation in 2009.
- Arigna Mining Experience: see Drumshanbo for this coal mine museum.
Do
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- What's on: check the Leitrim Observer.
- The Dock on St George's Terrace is an art gallery and performance space, in the 1822 former courthouse. Prisoners were led down from the court dock through a tunnel to the cells of the gaol opposite. It was demolished in 1968 and became, fittingly, a dock, the kind used by boats. The courthouse also held Council offices but these are now in a modern building next door.
- Moon River Cruises sail the Shannon from the quay by the bridge. Daytime sailings take an hour. They also do evening booze cruises and stag and hen events.
- Cinema: Carrick Cineplex is on Sligo Rd, Cortober.
- Aura Leisure Centre northeast of town centre has a gym and pool.
- Boat hire is available from several operators. This includes long-distance hire, with one-way rentals available from Carrick to Bellanaleck near Enniskillen and Banagher in County Offaly. You don't need a boat licence, anyone over 21 can hire.
- Gaelic games: the County GAA play Gaelic football and hurling at Seán Mac Diarmada Park (capacity 9331) at the east edge of town.
- Carrick Golf Club is 5 km west along N4 towards Sligo. Blue tees 5767 m, par 69.
- Coarse fishing is plentiful near town on the river and lakes.
- Shannon Blueway is a riverside route between Drumshanbo, Leitrim and Carrick, with several side-trails. The first 600 m across Acres Lake in Drumshanbo is a floating boardwalk; cyclists must dismount and marching armies break step over this section. The Blueway continues downstream from Carrick to Rooskey near Dromod: this section is only on water, suitable for kayaks and paddle-boards.
- Leitrim Gathering is held across the county in May.
- Carrick Carnival is in June.
Buy
[edit]- Tesco is on the main retail park east edge of town, open daily 8AM-10PM. Aldi is a little way further east.
- There's also a retail strip south of the river, with Lidl and SuperValu.
- Bank of Ireland and AIB in town centre have ATMs.
Eat
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- Coffey's Pastry Case on Bridge St does light meals M-Sa 8AM-6PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
- Vitto's, Market Yard Centre, Main St N41 H598, ☏ +353 71 962 7000. W-F 5-10PM, Sa Su 1-9PM. Lively family-friendly Italian-cum-Irish restaurant.
- Boardwalk Restaurant within Landmark Hotel serves modern Irish food.
- Red Bank restaurant on St George's Terrace N41 CK00 is open Th F 5-9PM, Sa Su 1-9PM.
- Buffalo Boy is a steak house on Main St, open W-Su 3-11PM.
- Di Vino is an Italian on Bridge St N41 C3K2, open daily noon-9PM.
- Oarsman, Bridge St, ☏ +353 71 962 1733. Tu W 5-8:30PM, Th-Sa 12:30-3PM, 5-8:30PM. This gastropub gets great reviews for food and service, booking recommended.
- Leitrim has Barge Steakhouse and Sichuan Restaurant plus takeaways.
Drink
[edit]- Cryan's Bar within the hotel on Bridge St has trad music and a great atmosphere.
- An Poitín Still on Main St has a restaurant and accommodation.
- Flynn's Bar is a grand old-style pub on Main St, open daily noon-11PM.
- McHugh's Bar on Bridge St is open Su-F 10:30AM-12:30AM, Sa 9AM-1AM.
- 1 Anderson's Thatch Pub, Elphin Rd, Ballindrehid (3 km south of town on R368), ☏ +353 71 962 0142. W-Sa 8:15PM-midnight. Trad country pub established 1734. Live music, dog-friendly, free camping available.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Bush Hotel, Main St N41 HP51, ☏ +353 71 967 1000. Comfy mid-range hotel founded circa 1800, mostly good reviews. B&B double €140.
- Carrick Plaza Suites are at Mercantile Plaza N41 WA27 on Bridge St.
- 2 Landmark Hotel, Carrick N41 N9W4, ☏ +353 71 962 2222. Smart friendly place with good restaurant. B&B double €200.
- Cryan's Hotel is by the Landmark, at Quayside N41 PX65.
- 3 Aisleigh Guest House, Dublin Rd, Attirory N41 TK64, ☏ +353 71 962 0313. Welcoming B&B 1 km east of town. They also run five self-catering houses in town centre. B&B double €120.
- 4 Hartley House, Hartley N41 X657, ☏ +353 86 828 8500. Charming B&B 3 km north of town. B&B double €150.
- Leitrim Marina Hotel, Leitrim N41 AE86, ☏ +353 71 962 3644. Comfy modern place at the waterside. B&B double €130.
- 5 Battlebridge Caravan & Camping Park, Cootehall Rd, Battlebridge N41 AE86, ☏ +353 71 965 0824. Well-equipped site on the riverside 1 km northwest of Leitrim village. They also have glamping pods and run Beirne's pub adjacent. Tent €20, caravan €25.
Connect
[edit]As of Sep 2025, Carrick and its approach roads have 5G from all Irish carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Longford has a fine cathedral, a mysterious "bog road" and several Neolithic portal tombs.
- Boyle has a grand Georgian mansion and a ruined abbey.
- Sligo is set in the haunting landscape of WB Yeats, with limestone scarps and Atlantic coastline.