GREAT ROADS: Bob Montgomeryfollowing the Shannon by the shores of Lough Derg's deep waters.
ANYONE WHO has ever holidayed on the river Shannon will most likely have experienced the beauty of this most extensive of Irish lakes.
It's only possible for the motorist to follow the shoreline of the lake for about one-third of its distance, but luckily this is also, perhaps, the most attractive part of the lake.
We began our journey at the village of Portroe - meaning Red Fort - on the foothills of the Arra Mountains which rise to a height of 461m.
Portroe is best approached from Nenagh on the R494. From Portroe the road climbs steadily for several kilometres before turning southeast as it begins to follow the shoreline. At this point there is a lookout point and small car park from where the views across the lake towards Slieve Bernagh (531m) on the western shore, and also along the greatest length of the lake towards Portumna to the northeast are simply stupendous, and the equal of any view on this island.
The road drops down from this lookout point as it hugs the shoreline running south towards the twin towns of Ballina and Killaloe - Ballina being on the Tipperary side of the river and Killaloe on the Clare side, separated by a narrow 13-arched stone bridge.
On the Clare side, Killaloe is dominated by St Flannan's Cathedral, a cruciform-shaped late 12th century building with a massive square central tower and a fine carved Romanesque doorway.
Within this cathedral is a unique stone, Thorgrim's Stone, which carries a bilingual inscription in both runes (the letters used by the Vikings) and ogham.
Here also is a memorial to John Grantham who died in 1833, and was responsible for the first survey of the river Shannon, as well as the introduction of steamers on the river in 1825.
Incidentally, Killaloe, which means "Dalua's Church", takes its name from Dalua's Oratory which was rescued from an island in the Shannon when the great hydroelectric barrier at Ardnacrusha was built several miles downstream from Killaloe.
It was re-erected close to the modern Catholic church near the bridge.
Continuing our journey, we take the R483 out of Killaloe along the western shore of Lough Derg passing through Annacarriga, Ogonnelloe, Tuamgraney, Scarriff and journey's end, Mount Shannon.
All along this route are fine views over the lake, particularly that towards the Arra Mountains on the eastern shore, from where we began our journey. Again and again one is reminded that this is a very ancient landscape as signs point to remains and sites from the pages of our varied history.
Here at Mount Shannon, today a thriving and picturesque harbour for pleasure craft on the Shannon, St Caimin founded a monastery in the 7th century which developed a fine reputation for learning and which was plundered and burned to the ground by attacking Norsemen, of whose part in the history of this area there are many reminders.
This is not a long drive, but it is full of interest and diversion for those inclined to break their journey and explore.
Besides its great beauty, the lake bears testimony to its central role in the ancient and more recent history of this region. Not only that, the roads which skirt its southern end remain a great drive today.
Next in series: April 30th