Dergie Says Welcome
Welcome to the southern part of Lough Derg. I'm Dergie and i'm here to help you have a super holiday on Lough Derg, in Ireland's Shannon Region. In this section, I have listed visitor information for the southern part of Lough Derg together with ideas, suggestions and recommendations. Keep an eye out for them.
Regards Dergie
Mapping
Welcome to the Lough Derg Map Section. This map section will provide you with detailed tourism information relevent to the southern part of Lough Derg. Please click on the map for specific mapping data and tourism information. Have a great holiday!
Great Activity
All the ingredients for a fantastic activity-based holiday are to be found in the Lough Derg South region, which stretches from Killaloe/Ballina on the lake to Limerick City and environs.
WATERSPORTS: The well-appointed harbour at Killaloe/Ballina and neighbouring lakeside amenities open up the wonderful waterway for all kinds of water-based activity. Cruiser boat hire, regular daily and hourly pleasure cruises (on the 50 seater vessel, ‘The Spirit of Killaloe’) and power boating are just some of the options available from the twin towns on the southern tip of the lake. A splendid marina caters for hundreds of leisure craft that ply the lake.
A mere 3km (2ml) away at Two Mile Gate is the UL Activity Centre which offers facilities for many watersports, from canoeing and sailing to kayaking, windsurfing and dragon boating.
As you move further downstream on the great River Shannon, there are many delightful towns and villages on or near the river that offer great prospects for rewarding pursuits on water. These include O’Brien’s Bridge in Clare and Castleconnell in Co. Limerick, both noted centres for angling, canoeing and other watersports.
The hinterland areas of Counties Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary offer much by way of Angling possibilities. Two of the many angling features well worth exploring are Doon Lake near Broadford, Co. Clare and the River Mulcair (including its tributary, the Newport River) that passes through places like Annacotty and Newport on its way to join the Shannon near Limerick.
NAVIGATION: For more experienced boat owners on Lough Derg waters who want to venture further downstream to Limerick and possibly beyond to the Shannon Estuary, a new navigation system in Limerick is in place which makes it much easier to do so. Check out further details at Downloads and scroll to Limerick Navigation Killaloe – Limerick Waterway.
SADDLE UP! With great countryside terrain, well-equipped equestrian centres and excellent services, this is great territory for horse riding and pony trekking. Whatever your skill level or how long you want to spend in the saddle, there’s something to attract you.
Centres in the area include the Lough Derg Equestrian Centre in Ballina and Mulcahy’s Pony Stables in Birdhill in Co. Tipperary and Woodfield Equestrian Centre in Broadford and Clonlara Equestrian Centre, both in Co. Clare.
TEE OFF! Golfing enthusiasts can test their skills and enjoy fine parkland courses in this part of the Lough Derg region. Limerick County Golf & Country Club offers an excellent challenge – the sand-based greens and tees on the 18-hole championship standard golf course are all built to US PGA standards. Close to Limerick City, the Rathbane Golf Club features a well-designed 18-hole parkland course.
ADVENTURE: The UL Activity Centre at Killaloe also caters for a variety of adventure pursuits on dry land, including high ropes courses, team challenges, orienteering and archery.
WALKING: Let your feet do the exploring and you won’t be disappointed. Walking gives a great chance to discover the many scenic and other attractions of this fascinating part of the Lough Derg area.
Try out one of the approved National Waymarked Walks such as the Lough Derg Way (taking in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary) and the Slieve Felim Way that begins in the lovely village of Murroe, Co. Limerick.
Or perhaps take a leisurely stroll around the historic city of Limerick, and find out about its colourful past and vibrant progress today? You can follow in the footsteps of famous author, Frank McCourt by taking an ‘Angela Ashes’ tour or opt for treks that explore the great history and heritage of the city and its King’s Island and St. Mary’s Parish districts.
PEDAL POWER: Another excellent way of traversing the countryside and meeting the people is to take a leisurely cycle. From Limerick City Tourist Office, you can follow the 48kms. (30 miles) Clare Glens Cycle [this should be included in Cycling section] route which is designed as a one-day tour of the most interesting sites and scenery of hinterland areas in Co. Limerick and North Tipperary. You can also catch the Lough Derg Cycleway in Killaloe/Ballina, which brings you right around the whole lake perimeter.
