River Shannon

The River Shannon (Irish: an tSionainn, Abhainn na Sionainne or archaic an tSionna) is the major river on the island of Ireland. At 360 km (224 miles) long, it is the longest river in the British Isles. The river drains the Shannon River Basin, covering 16,900 km² (6,525 sq mi), which is about one-fifth of Ireland's total area.

The Shannon has been an important waterway for thousands of years. It was first shown on maps by the Graeco-Egyptian geographer Ptolemy around 100 to 170 AD. The river flows south from the Shannon Pot in County Cavan, then turns west to empty into the Atlantic Ocean through the Shannon Estuary. The city of Limerick sits where the river meets the sea.

The Shannon divides western Ireland, mainly the province of Connacht, from the eastern and southern parts of the country, including Leinster and most of Munster. There are only fewer than thirty-five places to cross the river between the village of Dowra in the north and Limerick in the south, making it a strong natural barrier.

Course

The River Shannon is Ireland's longest river and flows through or between 11 counties. It starts at the Shannon Pot, a small pool in County Cavan, and then flows into Lough Allen. Along its path, it picks up many smaller rivers before reaching the Shannon Estuary at Limerick.

There are different ideas about how long the Shannon is, but an official Irish source says it is 360.5 km (224 miles). It is the longest river in Ireland and the British Isles. Even though some smaller rivers within its area might be longer from start to end, the Shannon is the biggest river in Ireland by how much water it carries.

Protected areas

The Shannon Callows, which are low-lying areas along the river, are protected as a Special Area of Conservation. This helps keep the natural environment safe for plants, animals, and wildlife.

Settlements

Many towns and villages are located along the River Shannon. Starting from the sea and moving upstream, some of these places include Kilrush, Tarbert, Glin, Foynes, Askeaton, Shannon Town, Limerick, Castletroy, Castleconnell, O'Briensbridge, Montpelier, Killaloe, Ballina, Portumna, Banagher, Athlone, Lanesborough, Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim village, and Dowra.

Historical aspects

The River Shannon has been important for a very long time. It started flowing along its current path after the last big icy time, called the last glacial period, ended.

A writer named Ptolemy wrote about a river called Σηνος (Sēnos) a long time ago in his book Geography.

Later, Vikings came to live in the area in the 10th century. They used the river to travel and reach rich places far inside the land. In the year 937, Vikings from Limerick and Dublin fought on a place called Lough Ree and the Limerick Vikings lost.

During big fights in Ireland in the 1600s, the river was very important. In the Irish Confederate Wars, Irish fighters used the river as a barrier to protect themselves from soldiers from England.

Even in 1916, leaders of a big event called the Easter Rising thought about using the river as a line to defend, but they did not have the tools needed to try this.

Navigation

1755 to 1820

The River Shannon has always been important for travel in Ireland, but it has very little drop in height during its first 250 km, making it quite shallow in places. In 1755, work began to make it easier to travel along the river. Thomas Omer improved sections between Lough Derg and Lough Ree by building canals and locks. Later, William Ockenden worked on the lower part of the river near Killaloe and Limerick, but progress was slow. It wasn’t until 1799 that the river was finally open for regular use, though it still had many problems.

1820s to Independence

In the 1820s, more people and goods started moving along the river with the help of new steamboat ships. By 1831, thousands of passengers and tons of goods were being carried. However, when a railway opened in 1849, fewer people used the river, and the amount of goods also dropped.

Ardnacrusha and passenger use

In the 1920s, a major power plant was built at Ardnacrusha on the lower Shannon. This changed the river’s use, but in the 1950s, efforts were made to keep the river open for leisure travel. Since then, more and more people have enjoyed using the river for fun and relaxation.

Canals

There are many canals that connect with the River Shannon. The Royal Canal and the Grand Canal link the Shannon to Dublin and the Irish Sea. It is also connected to the River Erne and Lough Erne by the Shannon–Erne Waterway.

Ballinasloe is linked to the Shannon through the River Suck and a canal, and Boyle is connected by the Boyle canal, the river Boyle, and Lough Key. Near Limerick, a short canal lets boats go around the Curraghower Falls, making travel easier. Lecarrow village in County Roscommon connects to Lough Ree using the Lecarrow canal. The Jamestown Canal and the Albert Lock help boats travel between the River Shannon and Lough Nanoge near Drumsna.

Etymology and folklore

Sionnann

In Irish stories, the River Shannon is named after a woman called Sionann, who was part of an ancient group called the Tuatha de Danaan. She wanted to find wisdom and went to a special well, even though she was warned not to. Some tales say she ate a magical fish and became very wise, while others say she just drank from the well. The water burst out, and Sionann was carried away to the sea. After this, she became the goddess of the river.

There is also a story about the famous hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. When he was in danger from other warriors, Sionann helped him. Fionn threw a powerful stone into the river, and it is said to still be there, hidden under the water.

Creatures

People have told stories about a strange creature in the Shannon called Cata. An old book mentions a saint who met this creature. Cata is described as a big animal with a mane like a horse, bright eyes, strong feet, and a tail like a whale. Another story talks about a creature leaving the river when a saint arrived in Ireland.

Economics

The River Shannon is long but rises only a little above sea level, making it easy to travel along with just a few locks. There is a place where water power is used to make electricity at Ardnacrusha.

In the 1980s, many improvements were made for ships near where the Shannon meets the sea. Over €2.5 billion was spent building things like a place for big ships at Foynes and an oil supply spot at Shannon Airport. In 1982, a big factory was built at Aughinish to get a special material called alumina from rocks called bauxite, which come from mines in West Africa. This material is then sent to Canada to make aluminium. In 1985, a large plant that burns coal to make electricity opened at Moneypoint, supplied by very big ships.

Flora and fauna

Shannon eel management programme

There is a special plan to help eels on the River Shannon. Because there are fewer eels now, a trap and transport system was created. This system helps young eels travel safely between Lough Derg and the Shannon estuary.

Fishing

The River Shannon used to support many fishermen, especially near Limerick. Fishermen there used special boats called Gandelow to catch Salmon. Another group of fishermen used nets and boats known as Breacaun to catch fish until 1929. That year, a dam was built at Ardnacrusha, which made it hard for salmon to breed. With fewer salmon and new rules, people stopped fishing for salmon by the 1950s. Today, people still enjoy fishing for fun. Further down the river at Kilrush, some people used boats called Currach to catch herring.

Water extraction

In 2011, Dublin City Council shared plans to get water from Lough Derg to help supply Dublin city and its nearby areas. They decided in 2016 that the best place to take the water would be the Parteen Basin south of the lough. The water would be moved to a special tank at Knockanacree near Cloughjordan in County Tipperary and then flow through a pipeline to Dublin.