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The River Shannon

Length:  386 km (240 mls)   

Relative size:  The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland or Great Britain  

Source:  The source of the Shannon can actually be traced to Northern Ireland in the Cuilcagh Mountains which are located  in south County Fermanagh. The river, however, rises at the magical Shannon Pot in the foothills of the mountain range in County Cavan in the Republic.

River route: The river runs through/between 13 of Ireland's 32 Counties and flows generally south before turning west and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean through the 113 km (70ml)-long Shannon Estuary. Limerick city, the capital of the Shannon Region, is located at the point where the river water meets the sea water of the estuary. It’s only just north of Limerick City that the river becomes tidal. 

Navigable waters: With the opening of the Shannon-Erne Waterway, the navigable waters through the River Shannon system now extend from Kesh in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh to Loop Head in Co. Clare on the Shannon Estuary – a distance of 358 km/222mls.  The River Shannon connects the lake to Limerick City, the Shannon Region capital, and the Shannon Estuary as it heads out to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s now possible for more experienced boat owners to navigate between Lough Derg and Limerick City – see Navigating from Lough Derg to Limerick for advice and useful tips on how to do so.

Lakes on river: There are three major lakes on the River Shannon – Lough Allen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Lough Derg (13,000 hectares/32,000 acres) is the largest of the three lakes and is completely navigable.