Tour of the Shannon Region, Southern Ireland

Ireland Map . Limerick Map.

Limerick City is fast becoming one of Ireland's main tourist destinations, only a 15-minute drive from Shannon Airport.

Tourist attractions in the city centre include King John's Castle, St Mary's Cathedral, Hunt Museum, several seasonal tours, Angela's Ashes walking tour of Limerick City, historical walking tour, boat tours along the River Shannon, Georgian house and gardens and the Treaty Stone.

Adare village and the Foynes Flying Boat Museum on the outskirts of the city are also popular attractions.

The Jim Kemmy Municipal Museum, also known as Limerick Museum, is next to King John's Castle. It contains displays on Limerick's history and manufactures.

Shannon Region Website . Day Tours.

The acclaimed 15th century Bunratty Castle and 19th century Bunratty Folk Park are two of Ireland's premier visitor attractions.

They are situated 5 miles east of Shannon Airport and 6 miles west of Limerick.

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Kilkee is one of Ireland's leading holiday centre's. A charming seaside town on the western coast of County Clare, it retains its 19th Century Victorian ambiance, yet has all the modern facilities to make your holiday a memorable one. Kilkee overlooks the mile-long horseshoe bay, with a gently sloping safe and sandy beach that is protected from the Atlantic weather by the Duggerna Reef which stretches across the mouth of the bay.

Situated about 42 miles west of Limerick.

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Ennistymon is a town in County Clare, near the west coast of Ireland, about 25 miles northwest of Shannon Airport, 12 miles northwest of the town of Ennis. A popular tourist town with a typical Irish main street, with many traditional pubs.

The River Inagh, which has some small rapids known as "the Falls" (hence the famous Falls Hotel), runs through the town, behind the main street.

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Situated a few miles north of Ennistymon are the Cliffs of Moher. These cliffs stretch for 8km & rise up to 214 metres above the Atlantic Ocean.

This is one of Ireland's top visitor attractions, now with a new Visitor Centre, not to be missed.

Click on image left to enlarge.

Information . Cruises . Limerick Tours.

The Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland, by the Cliffs of Mohar, are on the very edge of Europe with nothing between them and America.

These Islands are rich in the language, culture and heritage of Ireland, unique in their geology and archaeology.

Information . Cruises . Limerick Tours.

Galway is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland, situated about 65 miles northwest of Limerick.

The streets and buildings of this ancient town have many interesting features, and its position makes it the gateway to magnificent areas such as Connemara, Corrib country, and the Aran Islands.

The city itself is a continuing centre of growth with its University, Institute of Technology, Theatres, Cathedral, Castle, Hotels, Docks, Industries as well as other interesting attractions.

Dunguaire Castle is a 16th-century tower house on the southeastern shore of Galway Bay.

The castle's 75-foot tower and its defensive wall have been restored to excellent condition, and the grounds are open to tourists during the summer. It is thought to be the most photographed castle in Ireland.

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The town of Tralee is situated about 50 miles southwest of Limerick.

Tralee is located at the base of a very ancient roadway that heads south over the Slieve Mish Mountains. On this old track is located a large boulder sometimes called Scotia's Grave, reputedly the burial place of an Egyptian Pharaoh's daughter.

The Norman town was founded in the 13th century by Anglo-Normans and was a stronghold of the Earls of Desmond. A medieval castle and Dominican order Friary were located in the town.

The town of Killarney is situated about 80 miles southwest of Limerick.

Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region is home to St. Mary's Cathedral, Ross Castle, Muckross Abbey, Torc Waterfall and Gap of Dunloe.

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Ross Castle is the ancestral home of the O'Donoghue clan though it is better known for its association with the Brownes of Killarney who owned it until recently. It is located on the edge of Lough Leane, in Killarney National Park, County Kerry, Ireland.

Ross Castle was built in the late 1400s by local ruling clan the O'Donoghues Mor (Ross), though ownership changed hands during the Desmond Rebellion of the 1580's to the Mac Carty Mor. He then leased the castle and the lands to Sir Valentine Browne ancestor of the Earls of Kenmare.

The castle was amongst the last to surrender to Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads during the Irish Confederate Wars, and was only taken when artillery was brought by boat via the River Laune. More Information.

The town of Kenmare is situated about 110 miles southwest of Limerick.

The town is a haven of tranquillity, gourmet food, superb accommodation and breathtaking scenery in one of the most natural, unspoiled environments in Europe.

Cradled in the heart of Kenmare Bay, the picturesque town of Kenmare is the perfect location from which to discover the South West of Ireland, linking the internationally famous Ring of Kerry with the rugged Ring of Beara.

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Bantry House is a stately home overlooking Bantry Bay in the south west of Ireland, about 30 miles south of Kenmare. It is owned by Egerton & Brigitte Shelswell-White and their children.

The House offers self guided tours of the
3 floors, including Drawing Rooms with tapestries from Versailles, the Dining Room and Library.

All Bed and Breakfast accommodation in the East and West Wings of the House overlook the Italianate Gardens, Fountain and Hundred Steps.

A popular day tour from Limerick is to Cork and Blarney Castle.

Blarney Castle was built nearly six hundred years ago by one of Ireland’s greatest chieftains, Cormac MacCarthy, and has been attracting attention beyond Munster ever since. Not all of that has been welcome, as Good Queen Bess and Oliver Cromwell could testify. But over the last few hundred years, millions have flocked to Blarney, making it a world landmark and one of Ireland’s greatest treasures.

Now that might have something to do with the Blarney Stone, the legendary Stone of Eloquence, found at the top of our Tower. Kiss it and you’ll never again be lost for words.

Castle website: www.blarneycastle.ie

For more information on the Shannon Region, visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon,_County_Clare.