Tourist information for Shannon
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Hotels in Shannon
The Shannon region of Ireland comprises the counties of Limerick, Clare and the
Northern half of Tipperary.
County Limerick is mainly agricultural, lying to the south of the Shannon
estuary. Like Tipperary, the county is blessed with a profusion of historic
remains, with castles, abbeys, ancient churches and prehistoric remains at every
turn.
Limerick town is steeped in history, with the notable features King John's
Castle, St Mary's Cathedral and the Hunt Museum. The city has enjoyed a recent
renaissance, and is now a lively spot at night with plenty to do.
Limerick
Adare, 16 km southwest of Limerick, is a pretty village with a remarkable
collection of medieval buildings. Nenagh, North-East of Limerick in Tipperary,
is the gateway to the popular holiday playground of Lough Derg, with boating,
fishing, sailing and swimming. Killaloe is actually in Clare, on the shores of
Lough Derg, and is an attractive town set against the backdrop of the Slieve
Bernagh mountains.
Adare
North of the Shannon is the very different scenery of County Clare, which
becomes wilder and more magnificent as you proceed northwards. Shannon town was
built to serve the international airport, although its hotels provide a useful
stop-over. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is close by. Cooraclare is a small town
centrally placed in the rural landscape of southern County Clare, and another
good location for an overnight stop if you're crossing the Shannon on the
Tarbert Ferry.
On the west coast of Clare is the town of Milltown Malbay, close to Spanish
Point with its beaches and golf courses. Along the coast is the popular Irish
seaside resort of Lahinch, in Liscannor Bay, close to the Cliffs of Moher, which
rise vertically to a height of 203 metres.
The interesting old town of Ennis is the gateway to the Burren, and is one of
the many towns in the region famed for Irish music. The Bureen is a unique and
spectacular limestone plateau, much of it bare "pavement", where the numerous
gullies hide all manner of flora. The area is excellent for walking, and
contains many prehistoric sites, chief among them the atmospheric dolmen at
Poulnabrone.
Lisdoonvarna is the largest town to the west of the Burren, and is another
well-known for its many pubs providing Irish music. On the northern coast of
Clare, with the Burren as a backdrop, is the pleasant harbour-side village of
Ballyvaughan, close to some great walking and to the extensive underground
passages of the Aillwee Caves.
Ballyvaughan
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