Start of the walking tour - Ballina & Killaloe
The twin-towns of Ballina and Killaloe developed at an important fording point on the River Shannon. The name Ballina comes from Béal an Átha: “Mouth of the Ford”.The ford has long been replaced by a 13 arch bridge which links Ballina in Co. Tipperary to Killaloe in Co. Clare. This bridge dates from the 17th century, with many alterations over the centuries.Killaloe takes its name from Cill Da Lua, meaning Church of Lua (or Molua); a 6th century saint who is honoured locally. Lua was succeeded by St. Flannan, who was his first disciple. The 13th century St. Flannan’s Cathedral (which you can see across the river) is named after St. Flannan.
Killaloe Railway
The Killaloe Railway, as it was called even though it was located in Ballina, opened in April 1864. This was a 5km line from Birdhill to Ballina, which connected to the Limerick Railway line. In 1894 the branch was extended to a wharf below The Lakeside Hotel to serve trade boats & steamers. The Goods Shed was located on the site of Flanagan’s on the Lake and the red brick house next to it was the Railway House.There were two, and sometimes, three trains every weekday from Ballina to Limerick and the journey took about 50 minutes.Regular passenger services on the Killaloe branch were ceased in 1931 by the Great Southern Railway, but occasional excursion/ goods trains ran until the line was finally closed in 1948 by CIE. According to locals, these excursion trains brought thousands of people from Limerick for the infamous Killaloe Regatta’s.
Killaloe Canal
The Inland Steam Navigation Company who had their headquarters in Killaloe in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Navigation of the river was very difficult due to a ridge of rocks below the bridge. The Canal was built here to carry river traffic past this obstruction.The Canal was first opened to river traffic in 1799 and was a vital link in the navigation route between Limerick and the many ports on the River Shannon. These in turn were linked by canal and rail with Dublin and other parts of Ireland. Passengers and cargo were transported on a wide range of craft including steamers which first appeared on the Shannon in 1825.In 1929, after 130 years, the canal became redundant when the water level in Lough Derg was raised over the rapids as a result of the Shannon Hydro-Electric Scheme. This scheme used the water to harness cheap and abundant electricity en-masse to the Irish people for the first time.
The Pier Head
The Inland Steam Navigation Company had their headquarters here in the late 18th and 19th centuries and established regular services for passengers and goods up the Shannon through Lough Derg to Portumna, Athlone and Banager, and from Banagher by canal boats to Dublin.From 1799, the Pier Headat the junction of the canal and the river was a busy place where vessels could load and unload goods and passengers.Until the Railway arrived in 1862, the Shannon was the principal means of transport in the area and carried various types of cargo, including flour and turf, and the world-famous Guinness. During the Great Famine (1845 – 1848) and in the immediate post- Famine years, thousands of people embarked here on the first leg of their journey to a new land.
The Shannon Scheme
The Shannon Hydro-Electric Scheme was introduced as a means of using the power of the River Shannon to generate electricity. The scheme involved building a generating station at Ardnacrusha and a weir at Parteen. A budget of £5.1 million was allocated to the project – 20% of Ireland’s national revenue for that time.The station was officially opened and began to generate power on the national network in 1929. The scheme was a huge success, providing cheap and abundant electricity for the Irish people for the first time. However, it had a terrible impact on the fishing industry in our twin towns.Prior to 1929, Killaloe was one of the most famous angling resorts in Europe and the industry brought thousands of anglers to the many hotels that were once here. The salmon and trout fishing was the main attraction. Up to this time, the river was fast flowing with rocks, ledges and deep pools. As a result of the Shannon Scheme, the river was dammed and water was diverted to the power station at Ardnacrusha along an artificial, purpose-built canal.If you wish, you can now take a short detour at this point to visit St. Molua’s (or St. Lua’s) Oratory which is located beside St. Flannan’s Catholic Church. The site is marked on the accompanying map.This oratory was moved from a small island in the River Shannon and rebuilt in its current location, as it would have been submerged as a result of the damming of the river in connection with the Shannon Hydro-Electric Scheme.You will learn more about this island at the final stop on this tour.
Killaloe Lock
A canal was necessary at Killaloe to carry traffic past the rapids on the Shannon.The lock on the canal controlled the water levels and allowed craft to be moved from one level to another. This was the job of the Lock Keeper, who lived in “The Lock Keepers Cottage” which once stood on the grounds of the present-day Killaloe Library. The job usually passed down from generation to generation.In 1929 a dramatic change occurred in the river with the construction of a Hydro Electric station at Ardnacrusha, 11.5 miles downstream. The effect on the river at Killaloe was to raise the water level over the rapids making the canal redundant. Prior to this, the canal was in use for 130 years.
Killeen's Lock
This canal forms part of the Limerick Navigation and was constructed in the 1790s to bypass the unnavigable falls in the Shannon near Killaloe; this part of the navigation system was known as Killeen’s Lock.In the early 19th century steam navigation introduced cheaper and more efficient travel on the river and Killaloe became the headquarters of the Inland Steam Navigation Company.This stone building was the Goods Store and was built by the Company circa 1880.Goods would be loaded to and unloaded from barges at this point and local businesses would collect their goods from here by cart. The carts can be seen on the right of the image.The introduction of the Railway line to Ballina/Killaloe in 1862 meant that goods could be transported more efficiently making river transport less popular. However barges were still used to transport the world famous Guinness and other bulk goods throughout the country until the 1950s.
The Mill
The Mill was established in 1832 by Charles Wye Williams to cut and polish stone and marble by way of waterpower driven machinery. It employed over 100 men pre famine and was one of the mainstays of Killaloe industry.After Charles died in 1866 his widow Frances installed new machinery and started a woollen mill in the premises and the business became known as Killaloe Marble and Woollen Works.Henry Maunsell Lefroy then took over the lease and added a corn milling facility. In 1886 he transferred the mill to his son Harry who continued to trade there until the ESB acquired the premises by compulsory purchase in 1927.The ESB now use the building and its yard as their workshop and store for canal and river maintenance.
St. Molua's Oratory
About 1km further downstream from this point is the now submerged Friars Island. Friars Island was once the home of St. Molua’s (or St. Lua’s) Oratory; a small Oratory built in the 9th or 10th century by St. Molua, who was a Christian Abbot. Also located on Friars Island was “Lady’s Well”, which was a holy well and the island was a place of pilgrimage annually on 14th August until the late 1920’s.At the time the water level was so low that people could walk from the mainland to the island. However, as a result of the Shannon Hydro Electric Scheme in the 1920’s, it was realised that Friars Island and St. Lua’s Oratory would be completely submerged due to the rising water level of the Shannon.After a number of years of planning, St. Lua’s Oratory was removed stone by stone from Friars Island and rebuilt in the grounds of St. Flannan’s Catholic Church in Killaloe in 1930, where it can still be seen today.A commemorative plaque beside the river marks the location of this island.
