River Shannon

The river Shannon, named after the Celtic goddess Sionna  is the longest river in Ireland. It rises in Co.Cavan and flows for 161 miles through 11 counties, in a southerly direction. It enters the Atlantic Ocean via a 70 mile estuary below Limerick city. 

The Shannon river is entwined with the social, cultural, military, economic and political history of Ireland. In the 1600's, the Shannon was seen as a major strategic importance in military campaign in Ireland, as it formed a boundary between the east and west of the island. As late as 1916, the leaders of the Easter Rising planned to have their forces in the west "hold the line of the Shannon".

                         

    

The Shannon is a great mixed fishery and holds a wide range of coarse fish and pike as well as trout and salmon. Indeed, the fishing for the latter species is quite limited on the main channel and much better stocks are found in the tributaries.

There are three main areas where game anglers might concentrate their efforts on the main channel: the upper Shannon, Meelick, and the Shannon at Limerick.

(11102969)