On the banks of Lough Derg.

A pictorial tour from the banks of Lough Derg where the mighty River Shannon flows,

past the counties Clare and Tipperary.

Autumnal colours at Mount Shannon

It was with sorrow that we found an inconvenient Convenience.

It does make me wonder about the sincerity of the local administrators,

 closing down buildings such as these.

 Where do they expect needy visitors to relieve themselves ?

It is against the Law in Ireland to relieve oneself within in a public area 

irregardless of whether private parts are actually visible - even behind a tree.

In Mount Shannon harbour a foreign ( Dutch ?) craft is for sale.

I found her stern quarters as attractive as her bow and especially the yellow detailing.

The mascot of the Iargo Sneek.

From the banks of east Clare across a placid Shannon to Tipperary.

I think that the tower house, bottom right is Castlebawn which was restored in 1995

http://homepage.eircom.net/~castlebawn/index.htm

Lots of islands loiter creating dreams for some.

In case you are wondering I am not focussed on the tree :-)

More islands lurking near the banks of Clare can be seen when in County Tipperary.

From Portroe in Tipp to the misty mystique of county Clare.

In the foreground an old sleeping ground of yesterday's people lie silently slumbering.

I hope that you have enjoyed this photographic visit

as much as I have in sharing them.

SAFE HAVENS

Following our visit to Woodfield’s Cottage Market we took ourselves off on an adventure.

Driving along the roads of Tipperary, which border the banks of Lough Derg, we visited a couple of the harbours which provided safe havens for the pleasure craft that sail its’ waters.

A crowded signpost with misleading signs

because the road sign did actually

read COOLBAUN.

Brockagh Harbour

the name translates to na brocaí and may mean a dirty (muddy ?) place. 

It certainly has nothing to do with badgers for it is very low lying 

and floods in the winter.

Map of an interesting walk for those whose legs are up to it !

Dromineer Harbour

The name Dromineer in Irish is "Drom Inbhir", 

meaning the back or the ford of the river. 

Well, this one could certainly carry a lot of baggage!

Here is an old lady named Miranda that is made of iron - I bet she could tell some tales!

On the skyline are the hills of County Clare in the Province of Munster.

County Tipperary in the Province of Leinster is a long county that shares it boundaries with two provinces in seven other counties: Waterford,Cork and Clare in Munster, Limerick, Kilkenny, Offaly and Laois in Leinster and Galway in Connaught. Five of these are land borders apart from Clare and Galway, which are watery borders. These two counties are divided by Lough Derg, Loch Deirgeirt, meaning "loch of the red eye”’

Ireland’s longest river, The Shannon, which takes its’ name from the goddess Sionnan, flows through the Lough to emerge on her way to the sea on the far side of Limerick City.

Those of you looking for a place to live in Ireland with a grand view 

of Lough Derg might consider this?

Dromineer Bay

TRANQUILITY RULES OK

DAWN SUNRISE

County Laois in April

A brackish lake in county Clare

Healing

Coastal Waters of Clare

The Offering

The Shannon in May

Bridge over Calm Waters.

Did I ever tell you that I was afloat before I could walk ?  As a consequence I have always had an affinity with water.

Our latest trip was to Shannonbridge, where the great river flows and separates Co.Offaly from Co. Roscommon. Prior to 1757 you would have had to be ferried across this great, wet divide. Today this sixteen arch bridge is part of the R357 that connects Ballinasloe in Co. Galway in the west with the eastern part of the country.

The Shannonbridge artillery fort showing the main redoubt with the ramp in front of it, the R357  enters the fort just in front of the fortified Barrack Block. The defences were designed to delay a military force approaching from the west from crossing the River Shannon to the eastern side. They take the form of an elongated triangle with blunted western end, consisting of a sub-rectangular redoubt in front of a wedge-shaped enclosure and connected to it with a pair of diverging stone walls. The redoubt was completed in 1810, the barrack Block in 1814 and the rest of the defences in 1817. 

Today the old fort is the well known Parkers Restaurant where you can sit and dine and watch the boats go by.

http://www.ireland-guide.com/establishment/old-fort-the.3953.html

Of the sixteen arches of the bridge it is at this span at the eastern end which is used for navigation, for all the others are impeded by hidden rocks. Originally this span was fitted with a pair of iron swing beams.

The Old Crane with Bridge Master's House

in the background.

I greatly admired these lamp standards with

their ornate tops.

The preserved swing bridge

or The Oldest Pair of Swingers'

for miles around!

The Floral Arch

I have long admired the design of this type of

craft, which think may possibly be pre WW2

Moored at the dock are examples of the various

motor cruisers that abound on the river Shannon