 The road from Ennis along the R352 brings you into the heartland of East Clare. The first town in this area is Tulla, literally translated as “The windswept hill” the town has also a famous Ceili Band that has played in many places both home and abroad and is considered the premier Ceili Band in the Country.
To-day Tulla is a commuter town for people working in Ennis or Shannon. There is a well developed angling business in these parts and the local angling association should be contacted for any particular information. 3 km from Tulla are the caves at Kiltannon, which lie within the old estate and close to the ruins of Kiltannon House. The “Tomeens” as the caves are known, are caused by the stream which runs about 4 metres below the surface for almost 0.5 km. At intervals, open pits reveal the course of the river and it is possible to explore the passage by descending the pit and climbing along the ledge of the cave.
Branching off along the R468 you will reach the town of Feakle. The area is a place of legend in Clare. Many of our hurling heroes came from these parts. The poet Brian Merriman, lived locally at Lough Greaney. His is buried in the graveyard at Feakle. The town hosts a renowned music festival in August with almost 5 days of music, learning, dancing and other cultural and social activities.
Biddy Earley one of Clare’s best known “wise” women was born in Faha, close to Feakle. Biddy had powers to cure or to curse and could foretell events. Her house was a favourite haunt for people looking for potions or cures. Card playing and drinking were some of the many activities of the house. The church of the 1840’s was not tolerant of such activities, and Biddy was denounced from the altar. One story tells of a priest who visited her to chastise her for her ways. Biddy cast a spell on the priest’s horse, and the animal could not move. The distraught priest had to ask her to remove the spell and in return promised never to bother her again! Her legend was so great that Daniel O Connell himself visited her. Biddy’s bottle, the source of all cure or ill was kept in her dresser. After her death, controversy arose regarding the bottle, it is worth asking locals for the true story of the Biddy Earley’s potion bottle.
The R461 continues on to Scariff and there are plenty of places for fishing along the route. Lough Derg itself is very close to the town. The population of Scarrif is 1000.
The lake at Scariff Bay was the site of a monastic settlement in the 6th century at Inis Cealtra. The town became famous for chipboard in the 1970’s when manufacturing commenced. Scariff has a thriving sporting community and amateur dramatics group. The area, though agricultural, is finding a new direction in tourism with boating and fishing part of the economic future.
Mountshannon is 8km north east of Scariff and has been a past winner of the Ireland tidy towns competition. The village is a very popular centre for anglers during the fishing season on Lough Derg. The harbour and pier are extensively used by pleasure craft of all types. There are many islands on the lake and they are accessible by boat. Many visitors like to picnic on the islands during the better days of summer.
East of Mountsannon lies the village of Whitegate. South of the village is one of the more attractive stretches of the lake with the road skirting the lake edge. There is a fine harbour at Williamstown. Near Church Bay another Rent an Irish Cottage holiday home scheme is available. When the May Flie rises the area is a hive of activity.
Lough Derg sits beside the regal river Shannon and is Ireland’s third largest lake. It is often described as “Ireland’s pleasure lake”. It measures 32,000 acres on 50 square miles and is almost an inland sea. It is a wonderful asset for the natives of three counties, Clare, North Tipperary and Galway. Countless numbers of visitors enjoy the great natural and diverse beauty of its waters, shoreline and easily accessed inland treasures. As its commercial barges and steam ships are relics of bygone days, the lake to day has little traffic outside the summer months. For the rest of the year one can enjoy almost alone the beauty of a trip down the lake in a pleasure boat.
One of the great attractions of Lough Derg is the number of safe harbours along the lake. These include Terryglass, Drumineer, Garrykennedy, Portumna, Williamstown, Ballina, Killaloe, Scarrif, Tuamgraney, Mountshannon and Whitegate. One can stop off along the route enjoy the hospitality of these towns and return refreshed to enjoy the pleasures of Lough Derg.
The sheer beauty of being on the lake’s non tidal waters is exhilarating. Almost anything that floats is available for hire by the lake side – barges, yachts, dinghies, sailboards and canoes, the choice is yours. Ideally the lake should be explored around its banks and then if possible from the water. A cabin cruiser equipped with dinghy and bicycle affords excellent opportunities for the best of both worlds.
Inland from the lakes shores, myriads of fascinating country roads go everywhere and nowhere! All are havens of tranquillity capturing rural life at its most tempting. Day cruises and lake excursions on well licensed craft are available and allow for easy touring of all aspects of the lake in a leisurely fashion.
For the water sport enthusiast facilities are world class. Good sailing breezes and uncluttered expanses provide top class conditions for sailing and windsurfing, excellent for the beginner and challenging for the expert. The absence of cross winds and accessible moorings make these some of the most suitable waters in Europe.
Lough Derg holds huge stocks of fish, rich in trout and coarse species like pike and bream in the lake’s depths, tench and rudd in the weed beds and of course eels, once a delicacy from here, were sold at London’s Billingsgate. Angling on the lake is principally by boat and facilities are available from many boating and fishing centres. The boat user has an advantage and is able to anchor close to deep water or near reeds. Some angling centres offer complete packages – including boat hire, gillies, packed lunch, accommodation, bait, tackle and advice on local fishing conditions.
Patrick Kavanagh has a lovely line in his poem “Wild Flowers” : “I knew them all by eyesight long before I knew their names; we were in love before we were introduced.” Such is the case of the magnificent flora to be found around Lough Derg. Here the Irish fleabane (Inula Salicina) unknown elsewhere in Ireland or Britain, flourishes on some rocky shores and islands. With willow shaped and toothed leaves its yellow sun flower heads are quite distinctive in July and August.
Deep and shallow waters, reed beeds fens and a rocky shoreline provide a variety of habitats for plants. Examples include the water lilies of the deep waters, the rare flowering rush of the shallows, hemp agrimony of the reed beds, the rushes grasses and sedges of the fens, the buckthorn, dogwood spindle and Irish white beam of the rocky shores.
Most of Ireland’s larger wild animals are to be found around Lough Derg. Some like the rabbit, hare, grey squirrel, stoak and mink are active during the day. Others like the hedgehog, badger and otter prefer the night. The fox is often seen at dawn and dusk. In the woody shores of Western Lough Derg the pine marten is growing in numbers.
The Shannon system is unequalled in Europe in the quality of its bird life. Lough Derg shares in this distinction and has permanent residents in its habitats. The coote, moorhen, grebe, duck heron, gull, kingfisher, cormorant, bunting and mute swans are among Lough Derg’s permanent residents. Summer visitors include warblers, swifts, swallows and house martens.
Lough Derg is a lake of myth and history. Its shores have been settled since pre historic times. To-days travellers can continue to explore its famous monasteries: Lua’s and Flannan’s of Killaloe, Cronan’s Tuamgraney, Caimin’s Holy Island. The ruins of various Gaelic Tower Houses and Castle ruins are visible all around the lake. To day on this Lake of the Bloody Eye where once the fleet of Brian Boru sailed to meet the O’Connor’s of Connacht in naval battle, peaceful cruisers seek out modern ports of call in the various safe harbours of Lough Derg.
A number of scenic walks around Lough Derg add a further dimension to the attractions of the lake. The East Clare Way has developed a number of circular walks with a panoramic view of the lake Tuamgraney Pier is a good place to start a walk.
Inis Cealtra “Holy Island” is one of the most interesting ecclesiastical sites in the area. It is associated with St. Caimin who established a monastery there in the 7th century. The Vikings burned the monastery in 836 and in 922 a.d. The island is associated with the famous Irish chieftan Brian Boru. His brother was Abbot there and Brian Boru built one of the Churches on the island.
All through the centuries Inis Cealtra was a place of pilgrimage. You can walk among the ruins of Churches, Round Towers and Crosses dated before 1000 a.d. It is still revered by the local people as a holy place. Other attractions on the island include holy wells, bullaun stones, grey slabs and bargaining stones. There are many other islands in Lough Derg – Bushy Island, Young’s Island, Cribby Island, Rabbit Island, Malt Island. It is important to consult with locals before any exploration is attempted. Lough Derg is a large lake and can be dangerous in bad weather. Lough Derg is a wonderful natural amenity and is one of East Clare’s enduring attractions.
Killaloe is farther south along the lake travelling by the R463. The town seems to be dissected by the River Shannon, with one half, Killaloe in County Clare and the reminder, Ballina in Co Tipperary. They are two distinct towns as anyone who follows the plight of inter county Gaelic Games will attest! The bridge connecting the towns is very narrow permitting one lane vehicle access at a time. The Bridge itself is much photographed with its 13 arches. The scenery in Killaloe is well worth the visit. The mountains of Tipperary, Sieve Bernagh to the North West and the Arra range on the North east are a backdrop to a sylvan landscape with the vast river and lakes stretching out for miles.
Killaloe was the site of a church founded by St Lua in the sixth century. He was succeeded by St Flannan as Bishop of Killaloe. The Dalcassian Kings were centred here later and north west of the town is the large Fort of Beal Boru from which our great leader Brian Boru took his title. The great halls of Kincora were nearby where Brian Boru had his palace. In 1276 the town fell into the Norman hands of Thomas De Clare. In 1690 Sarsfield crossed the Shannon at Killaloe on his way to disrupt the siege-train at Ballyneety.
The O’Briens built the fine Cathedral in 1185. It was restored in 1887. King Muragh O’Brien of Munster is said to be buried behind the richly carved Romanesque recess internally. The shaft of a cross, the Cathedral is cruciform in shape with three narrow lancet windows in the east gable. Beside the Romanesque door near the main entrance is one of the few stones in the country with a Viking runic and Ogham inscription. It bears a prayer for Thorgrim who made the stone. The Runic inscription reads “ thorgrim carved this cross” and in Ogham “ a blessing on Thorgrim”. Beside it is the cross removed from Kilfenora by Bishop Mant in 1821.
In the grounds of the Cathedral is St. Flannan's oratory, otherwise known as 'Brian Boru's vault', which is a 12th century Romanesque church which no longer has a chancel, the remains of a good Romanesque doorway and a well-preserved stone roof supported by the walls of a small loft above the vault still exist.
In the grounds of the Catholic church in the town, further up the hill, is St. Molua's oratory. It was originally on Friar's island in the Shannon, but was removed and re-erected here when the island was flooded and submerged in the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme in 1929. It consists of a nave, to which a chancel with its stone roof was added later. Both the west and south walls have lintelled doorways. The church was built some time prior to the 12th century.
Killaloe is the main centre for aquatic activity along the Shannon. There is a thriving Leisure industry and the town is well served with places to eat and drink and accommodation of all grades. The marina at Killaloe is a great barometer of the economic boom of the past decade. Expect to see all classes of transport, both nautical and roadworthy. The town attracts a heedy mix of local, urbane sophisticates and nature lovers. There is a convivial atmosphere by the lakeside and throughout the hostelries of the area.
Southward to O’Briensbridge, a lovely village with plenty of fishing lore and atmosphere. Some motorists travelling on the N7 like to take a shortcut through the village to avoid Limerick traffic, but for the most part the area is serene and typical of an Irish country village.
Onwards to Broadford and a visit to the ESB Shannon Hydro Electric plant at Ardnacrusha. This was one of the engineering feats of the new Irish State, completed in 1929. The big Siemens turbines have been harnessing the power of the mighty Shannon since then. The river was dammed at Parteen, 8km south of Killaloe. A headrace of 12km was formed and then at Ardnacrusha the water falls 30 metres through the giant turbines, setting in motion the generators with a power output of 85 mega watt. This was enough power to fuel the whole country in the 1930’s. |
