| Holy Island Holy Island or Iniscealtra lies, 2kms from the village. St. Caimin founded a monastic settlement here in the 7th century. The monks suffered repeatedly at the hands of the Vikings during the 9th and 10th centuries but the settlement was restored by the mighty King Brian Boru. Holy Island is a treasure trove of historical monuments including the remains of six churches, a well preserved round tower, bullaun stones, a holy well, four crosses and a graveyard which is still used for local burials. Boats depart daily from Mountshannon harbour from mid May to October. Crossings usually take about 15 minutes each way with an hour on the Island. If you wish to explore a bit further or maybe relax and have a picnic a later collection time can easily be arranged. Boats are also available for hire locally.  The Aistear Iniscealtra The Aistear Iniscealtra is a 4.5 acre Community Park, situated in the centre of Mountshannon village between the main street and the harbour. Pedestrian access has been developed from the harbour to the village via a walkway. Over five hundred trees and shrubs have been planted along this walk. Inside and to the left of the main entrance gate is a play area for children. As one moves forward along the pathway one encounters the Maze, which is the main feature of the Aistear. The Maze is a pathway or pilgrimage through time, measured by the history of spirituality in Ireland. There are seven distinct periods or time spans during the journey depicting the spiritual evolutionary process. The project is based on the concept of spirituality in Ireland from prehistoric times, through to the modern era, an aspect of our culture that deserves to be celebrated and acknowledged. Seven periods are reflected within the maze, displaying contemporary relics and artefacts, which draw together these beliefs. The result is an engaging and informative exploration of Irish spirituality over 9,000 years.  Portumna Castle The impressive castle at Portumna was the seat of the Clanricarde Burkes, for so long the most important landowners in County Galway. It was completed c. 1617 by Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde, but was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1826. The Office of Public Works has been involved in its restoration in recent times.  Killaloe Heritage Centre Regal Killaloe, once the capital of Ireland as the 11th century seat of heroic King Brian Boru is at the south-west tip of Lough Derg. The heritage centre comprises a tourist information office, crafts centre and an exhibition tracing the history of Killaloe from the 10th century to the present day including it's strong nautical links with Lough Derg, the largest of the River Shannon Lakes.  Aillwee Cave Discovered by Jack McCann, a local farmer, in 1944, the 1000 feet long cave is one of the oldest of the Burren Caves having formed millions of years ago. Guided tours, lasting 30 minutes, allow you to observe beautiful caverns, bridged chasms, underground waterfalls, weird mineral formations and the hibernation chambers of brown bears which have been extinct in Ireland for centuries. Facilities include a restaurant, craft shop, information desk and outside, 'The Hazelwood' crafts village.  Aillwee Cave, Ballyvaughan, County Clare Phone: 065 7077036 Email: aillwee@eircom.net Website: www.aillweecave.ie  |
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Sunrise Bed & Breakfast Mountshannon Co. Clare, Ireland Proprietor: Vera O'Rourke Phone: 00 353 (0) 61 927343 Mobile: 00 353 (0) 87 9566091 Email: sunrise4bnb@eircom.net |
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