Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [443]
Alternatively try Aaron House ( 057-913 7040; www.aaronhouse.ie; Kinnitty; s/d €60/75; ), a more modern place with spacious, purpose-built rooms with king-size beds and sparkling bathrooms. Aaron House is on the R421 just outside the village.
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BANAGHER & AROUND
pop 1636
Sleepy Banagher bursts into life in the summer months when the busy marina is awash with boaters. For the rest of the year, it’s a pleasant backwater with pastel-fronted houses marching down the long main street to the banks of the River Shannon where there are some impressive fortifications.
Among its claims to fame: Charlotte Brontë had her honeymoon in Banagher in 1854, while thirteen years earlier, Anthony Trollope, fresh from inventing the pillar box, took up a job as a post-office clerk in the village and, in his spare time, managed to complete his first novel, The Macdermots of Ballycloran.
Information
Inside an unusual bow-fronted Georgian town house, the helpful tourist office ( 057-915 2155; offalywest@hotmail.com; Crank House, Main St; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri) provides information about Banagher and the surrounding region. Internet access is available for €1 per 15 minutes.
Sights
Situated at a crossing point over the River Shannon, Banagher was a place of enormous strategic importance during turbulent times, and a group of fortifications by the bridge remains as testimony to its turbulent past. Today you can still see the remains of Cromwell’s Castle. Built in the 1650s, it was modified during the Napoleonic Wars, when Fort Eliza (a five-sided gun battery whose guardhouse, moat and retaining walls can still be seen), a military barracks and Martello tower were also built.
St Paul’s Church at the far end of Main St contains a resplendent stained-glass window, originally intended for Westminster Abbey.
About 3km south of Banagher off the R439 in Lusmagh is Cloghan Castle ( 057-915 1650), in use for nearly 800 years. The castle has seen more than its fair share of bloodshed, beginning life as a McCoghlan stronghold and later becoming home to the mighty O’Carroll clan. Today the castle consists of a well-preserved Norman keep and an adjoining 19th-century house full of interesting antiques and armaments. Groups of up to five people can take an hour-long tour of the castle (€35) if you phone in advance. Occasional concerts are also held here. Ask at the tourist office.
From Lusmagh it’s possible to take a tranquil walk down to picturesque Victoria Lock, where the Shannon splits into two channels. If you cross the lock and walk north along the west bank of the river, it’s a lovely 2km walk to 15th-century Meelick Church, one of the oldest churches still in use in Ireland. You can also reach Meelick by road. It’s about 8km south of Banagher, along tiny tracks on the County Galway side of the border.
Activities
You can rent canoes and cruisers in Banagher. During the summer, the placid waters and numerous islands and channels make it an ideal place for a paddle. Larger boats can cruise the Shannon from here or head out along the Royal and Grand Canals. The following include high season prices:
Carrick Craft ( 01-278 1666; www.cruise-ireland.com; The Marina) Four- to eight-person berths ranging from €1000 to €2560 per week.
Shannon Adventure ( 057-915 1411; www.iol.ie/~advcanoe/index.html; The Marina; per hr/day/week €15/60/332) Fully equipped Canadian canoes and free camping for canoers.
Silverline Cruisers ( 057-915 1112; www.silverlinecruisers.com; The Marina) Two- to 12-person berths from €1100 to €3670 per week.
Sleeping & Eating
The tourist