In the middle of Lough Derg is a solitary, uninhabited, 49 acre island whose atmosphere takes visitors back to the golden age of Irish Christianity. St Caimin founded a monastery here in the 7h century. It grew to be a large establishment, he well-preserved remains...
The town is famous for its unique mineral waters , containing sulphur and lithium , iron and manganese. Here you can sample the revolting sulphur water – ‘eggy water’ – at the Pump House. People have come here to ‘take the waters’ since the 18th...
Inishmore (7635 acres) , Inishmaan (2253 acres) and Inisheer (1400 acres) lie about 30 miles off the Galway Coast and even today remain relatively isolated. Fishing is done from currachs , fragile-looking boats covered in tarred canvas , and the islanders have cultivated small pockets...
Scenic Killaloe is at The Southern tip of Lough Derg , the largest of the Shannon lakes. It's most fascinating building is the 12th century St. Flannan's Cathedral , which was restored in the 18th century. Beside the door is Thogrim's Stone , a cross...
This bustling market town was laid out by the Vandeleur family , whose nearby mansion was burned down in the 1920s. there are some pleasant walks East of the town in Kilrush Woods. The Kilrush Heritage Centre focuses on local history , paying particular attention...
Ennis’s streets were described in the 19th century as ‘ill-defined and scattered’ , but today the narrow thoroughfares add to its character. Many of the old shop fronts remain on some of the best Irish crafts and knitwear outlets. The column in the town centre commemorates...
This little island where St. Caimin founded a monastery in the 7th century. Among the remains are five churches , a round tower , a hermit’s cell and the ‘Saint’s Graveyard’ , which contains inscribed slabs dating from the 8th to the 12th century. The...
Dysert O'Dea is in County Clare and is worth a visit on any Ireland tours to see the monastery and castle sites. It is a bit of a hidden gem. We had not visited for a while and a recent trip around Ireland brought us there...
The greatest if Irish rivers , the Shannon touches all four provinces of the country and is a must see on your Ireland tours. It rises in the Cuilcagh Mountains in Ulster , its banks for a long distance form the boundary between Connacht and...
Towards the end of the 10th century , a new sept rose to power in Munster. This was the Dal gCais , from the area West of the bend in the river Shannon , and its leader was Mathghamhain. Why not make a stop here...