River Shannon Fact File
Country: Ireland
Length: 360 km (224 miles)
Source: Shannon Pot, Culicagh Mountain, County Cavan
Mouth: Shannon Estuary, Limerick
Other Facts About the River Shannon
- The Shannon divides Ireland, with Connacht in the west and Leinster and Munster to the east and south.
- The river flows through 11 of the counties of Ireland.
- There are several lakes on the Shannon, including, Lough Allen, Lough Derg and Lough Ree.
- The Shannon is named after the Celtic goddess, Sionna, and legend has it that a monster called Cata lives in the river.
- Many canals connect with the Shannon, including: the Royal Canal and the Grand Canal.
- The River Shannon has historically had great strategic importance attached to it in military encounters.
- There are only about 20 crossings of the River Shannon.
- The Shannon provides excellent opportunities for water sports and is a very popular tourist attraction in the summer months.
- The Shannon provided water for industry in the 1800s and was home to the famous Victorian Shannon steamers.
- The largest towns on the river are Limerick and Athlone.
- The river is relatively slow moving becasue it only falls 60 feet in the first 150 miles of its course.
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