1. Ireland’s longest river: 386 km or 240 miles long.
The River Shannon
Ireland’s longest river:
386 km or 240 miles long.

2. Did you know how the river got its name?
The Shannon is named after Sionnan, who was the granddaughter of Manannan Mac Lir, or God of the Sea.
She came to this spot [the Shannon pot, where the river begins in the Cuilcagh Mountains, Co Cavan] to eat the fruit of the forbidden, or the Tree of Knowledge, which was planted by the Druids.
As she began to eat it, the waters of the pool sprang up and overwhelmed her, drawing her down into it to flow out later across the land, thus the River Shannon sprung up.

3. Course of the River Shannon
The Shannon’s source is in the Cuilcagh Mountains, in Co Cavan.
It is a small lake called the Shannon Pot, which is 14.6m deep at its deepest point.

4. Counties that the Shannon runs through
Cavan
Fermanagh
Leitrim
Longford
Roscommon
Offaly
Tipperary
Clare
Limerick
Galway
Kerry : it touches off the coast of Kerry when it flows into the sea.
Westmeath

5. Tributaries of the River Shannon
A tributary is a stream or a river that flows into another river.
The River Shannon has many tributaries. Can you find these on the map?
The River Suck
The Inny River
The River Brosna
The Nenagh River
The Mulcair River

6. Rivers of Ireland:
Can you see the Shannon?

7. Lakes on the River Shannon
There are three main lakes on the River Shannon. Find these on your map:
Lough Allen
Lough Ree
Lough Derg

8. Map of the towns and villages on the Shannon Erne Waterway

9. How is the Shannon connected with Dublin?
The Shannon River is connected with Dublin through two canals, the Royal Canal and the Grand Canal.
Statue of the Irish poet, Patrick Kavanagh, on the banks of the Grand Canal, Dublin.

10. Where does the Shannon enter the sea?
The Shannon River flows into the Atlantic Ocean at its mouth, the Shannon Estuary.
The estuary has Limerick at its head and its seaward limits are marked by Loop Head to the north and Kerry Head to the south.
The estuary defines the main boundary between County Kerry/County Limerick to the south and County Clare to the north.
Map of the Shannon Estuary

11. Town Challenge
In your Geography copy, and using your atlas/map of Ireland, list five towns that the Shannon River flows through.
Hint: Check these websites for some help: