Killaloe (pronounced kill-uh-LOO) is a village in County Clare and was the birthplace of Irish hero Brian Boru. It's on the west bank of the River Shannon, and in 2022 had a population of 1700.
Ballina is a larger village in County Tipperary on the east bank, linked to Killaloe by bridge for over 1000 years. It's modern, with a population of 3000 in 2022, and has the bulk of places to eat, drink and stay.
Understand
[edit]The Shannon is both a barrier and a communication route across Ireland. In 1650 Cromwell was held up for ten days at Ballina, seeking ways to cross and advance on Limerick. The upper course of the river has little fall and is navigable, aided by three large lakes; the lowest Lough Derg reaches Killaloe-Ballina. In the 19th century two canals (the Grand and the Royal) were cut at huge expense all the way from Dublin to the upper Shannon. But the final stretch of river was the missing link: below Lough Derg it descends 30 m in 20 km, with waterfalls, to reach the tidal estuary at Limerick. A canal and lock system was needed; construction was expensively botched but it opened in 1799, and the twin towns became important river ports. That trade was killed by the railways in the 1850s. The waterways fell into disuse, and the lower river was dammed in 1930 to serve Ardnacrusha hydroelectric power station near Limerick. Nevertheless the value to leisure craft was recognised, and the Shannon remains navigable from the Atlantic up into Lough Derg and beyond.
Tourist information is based on the Shannon bridge, open April-Sep.
Get in
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Paddy McGinty's Goat
Killaloe is the scene of the goings-on described in this song, written in 1917. The village women try to protect themselves from the depredations of an aggressive whiskery beast that is partial to their falderals. Being a comic song for the Edwardian music hall, any innuendo in these lyrics is surely unintentional. |
Bus Eireann 345 runs five times daily from Limerick to Killaloe (40 min), Tuamgraney and Scariff.
Express buses between Dublin, Nenagh and Limerick call at Birdhill, on the M7 interchange 3 km south of Ballina. Birdhill has two trains M-Sa and one on Sunday from Limerick to Nenagh and Ballybrophy, where they connect with the Dublin trains.
By road from Dublin leave M7 at Junction 26 just beyond Nenagh and follow R445 southwest.
Get around
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Walk wherever possible. The old bridge is pleasant on foot, and remains open for vehicles. In Dec 2024 a new bridge opened 1 km south downriver.
See
[edit]- 1 Killaloe Cathedral (Saint Flannan's), Royal Parade, Killaloe. Daily 10AM-7PM. Church of Ireland (Anglican) cathedral built in the 13th century in a mix of Romanesque and Gothic, adjoining an earlier chapel or oratory dedicated to St Flannan, the 7th century first bishop of Killaloe. There's a High Cross and the Thorgrim Stone, carved both in old Scandinavian runes and in Irish Ogham script.
- 2 St Flannan's Church, Chapel St, Killaloe V94 CC95. The Roman Catholic church is modern. Within its grounds is the transplanted little St Molua's (or Lua's) Church, built circa 1000 in the time of Brian Boru on Friar's Island in the River Shannon. In 1929–30 the Ardnacrusha hydroelectric scheme raised the water level and submerged the island, so the church was dismantled and brought to its present site.
- The Bridge is a handsome 13-arch structure. River floods have often swept away bridges here, but this one has lasted since 1825. There's a sidewalk; it's not wide enough for two vehicles to pass so traffic is signal-controlled and mustn't stop for photos. Cruises of the river and Lough Derg start from the nearby quays. A canal flanks the river to the west, and "Between the Waters" is the narrow island this creates.
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- 3 Brian Boru's Fort
is your man's likely birthplace, in 941. He rose to be High King of Ireland from 1002 and was continually at war. He was killed at the battle of Clontarf in 1014 but his Munster forces defeated Leinster and their Vikings allies that day, and his O'Brien dynasty continued to dominate Ireland. The fort is just an earthwork from Neolithic times, a mound 70 m in diameter, reinforced in the 11th century. The river could be forded at this point until its level was raised in 1930, with a toll or boruma raised on the crossing of cattle herds — this may be the origin of Brian's nickname. The area is nowadays parkland accessible 24 hours, but often messed up with trash, vandalism and bonfire remains. Perhaps that's what decided the Normans against converting it to a proper stone castle. - 4 Moylussa is the 532 m mountain east of the lake, the highest point in County Clare. It's one of many noble contenders for the title of Ireland's boggiest hilltop, but the path has been lain with shale shards.
- 5 Tuamgraney is a village where the 10th-century St Cronan's (Church of Ireland) is Ireland's oldest church in continuous use; its round tower has been swept away. It's probably named for the same fellow that founded Roscrea. 2 km east is what's left of the primordial oak forest of Suidain, where "Brian Boru's Oak Tree" may be 1000 years old. His family would indeed have managed these forests for timber, charcoal and acorns for pigs, though young Brian was more likely to have trodden on the sprig while hunting than to have planted it. The writer Edna O'Brien was born in Tuamgraney in 1930; her career was much boosted by denunciations from the pulpit. The village straggles north into Scariff and east into Raheen.
- 6 Mountshannon is a picturesque village built from 1738 to host linen manufacture, and to so amaze and impress the populace that they would convert to being Protestant. But the linen industry collapsed, the founding Woods family died young and deep in debt, and Saint Caimin's Church of Ireland church is the last bastion within a Catholic village. The main attraction is Inis Cealtra or Holy Island, which has a round tower, the ruin of several small churches, an ancient graveyard, four High Crosses and a Holy Well. Boats ply from Mountshannon, and boat trips from Killaloe also come this way. Don't confuse the village with Mountshannon House, a once-imposing mansion towards Limerick but now in ruins.
- 7 O'Brien's Bridge (Droichead Uí Bhriain) is where the Shannon and the navigable canal diverge upstream of Limerick. There's a fine 12-arch river bridge circa 1842, but nothing remains of the castles at each end. On the east bank is Montpelier in County Limerick.
- 8 Ardnacrusha is the dam and hydroelectric power station that changed not only the lower Shannon, but the entire face of rural Ireland through electrification. The lock system is impressive and the power station has tours, but it's more easily accessed from Limerick city.
Do
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- Boat trips sail Apr-Sep from Killaloe into Lough Derg. The operator is Killaloe River Cruises.
- Lough Derg Way is a 64-km trail upstream along the river from Limerick through O'Brien's Bridge, Killaloe and Ballina then along the east bank of Lough Derg to Dromineer in County Tipperary.
- Water activities: centres are along the west bank of the lough, such as the University of Limerick Activity Centre (which has facilities available to the public) and Lough Derg Holiday Village.
- Golf: East Clare Golf Village is 5 km west of Tuamgraney.
- Manage eels: the Shannon Eel Management Programme aspires to manage eels in the Shannon that do not necessarily wish to be managed. Salmon, eels and other fish had their upriver migration disrupted by Ardnacrusha HEP plant in 1930, though fish ladders were provided. The programme has ferried eels past that section of river. But their population decline may also reflect their life in the Atlantic, which is not amenable to measures in their Shannon spawning grounds.
Buy
[edit]- Aldi supermarket is on Abbey St Killaloe, open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-9PM.
- Farmers Market is held on Sunday 11AM-3PM at "Between the Waters".
Eat
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A Pelican at Blandings
Killaloe is an army quick marching tune, written in 1887 for the musical Miss Esmeralda, ever-so-loosely based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Its composer Robert Martin was the brother of Violet Martin aka "Martin Ross" of Oughterard, co-author of Experiences of an Irish RM. Robert Martin was a diehard Unionist who despised Irish aspirations for Home Rule, and a member of the spendthrift Pelican Club. He was lampooned as "Galahad Threepwood" in several Jeeves & Wooster stories by PG Wodehouse, such as A Pelican at Blandings (1969). Galahad often threatens to tell all about the incident of Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe and the prawns at Ascot, but this is a tale for which the world is not yet ready. |
- Raw Interiors is a cafe-pizzeria on Church St Killaloe, open Th-Su 9:30AM-10:30PM.
- Flanagan's on the Lake is a pleasant spot in Ballina 100 m north of the bridge, but some are underwhelmed by the food. It's open daily noon-11:30PM.
- Scoops Ice Cream is on Lakeside Drive opposite Flanagan's. It's open Tu-Su 10AM-5PM.
- Brian Boru on the Hill, Ballina V94 X0RF (500 m north of bridge), ☏ +353 61 374458. M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa 2PM-midnight, Su noon-11PM. Great food and atmosphere.
- Wooden Spoon is an arts & crafts-style cafe at the bridge junction in Ballina, open daily 9AM-4PM.
- Tuscany Bistro 100 m south of the bridge is open F Sa 5-9PM, Su 2-7:30PM.
- Gooser's, Ballina V94 R678 (300 m south of bridge), ☏ +353 61 513266. Su-Th noon-9PM, F Sa noon-10PM. Thatched riverside bar and restaurant gets great reviews for food variety, quality and service.
Drink
[edit]- Anchor Inn, Bridge St, Killaloe V9 TRD7 (west end of bridge), ☏ +353 61 376108. M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa Su 2-11:30PM. Lively pub, often has live music Wednesdays and weekends.
- Reddans west along Killaloe Main St is open M-F 4:30-11:30PM, Sa Su 3PM-midnight.
- Washer Woman on Ballina Main St is open Su-Th 3-11PM, F Sa 3PM-midnight.
- Liam O'Riain's, Main St, Ballina, ☏ +353 61 376722. M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa 3PM-midnight, Su 2-11PM. Great trad pub, live music Saturday nights.
Sleep
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- 1 Killaloe Hotel, Kincora Harbour, Killaloe V94 W095, ☏ +353 61 622123. Great scores for comfort and service at this spa hotel. B&B double €150.
- 2 Blossom Hill B&B, Abbey St, Killaloe V94 PNR2, ☏ +353 87 252 5279. Immaculate welcoming B&B with pleasant garden. B&B double €100.
- 3 Lakeside Hotel, Lakeside Drive, Ballina V94 E2D6, ☏ +353 61 376122. Slick riverside hotel with leisure centre, glowing reviews for comfort and service. B&B double €170.
- 4 Whitehorn Lodge, 1 Shannon View, Ballina V94 ER26, ☏ +353 61 375257. Pleasant B&B north side of Ballina. B&B double €120.
- Lakeland House is a B&B on Boher Rd, Ballina.
Connect
[edit]As of March 2025, Killaloe, Ballina and their approach roads have 4G from Eir and Vodafone, and 5G from Three.
Go next
[edit]- Limerick is the lively city to the southwest.
- South of Tipperary town is the scenic Glen of Aherlow.
- Nenagh has a castle and ruined abbey.