10. Shannon Folklore
• Name from Sinnan daughter of Lear
• Lear was Sea King of Tuaithe de Danann
11. Shannon Folklore
• Name from Sinnan daughter of Lear
• Lear was Sea King of Tuaithe de Danann
• Sinnan drowned searching for salmon of
knowledge
12. Shannon Folklore
• Name from Sinnan daughter of Lear
• Lear was Sea King of Tuaithe de Danann
• Sinnan drowned searching for salmon of
knowledge
• Cata the monster
13. Shannon Folklore
• Name from Sinnan daughter of Lear
• Lear was Sea King of Tuaithe de Danann
• Sinnan drowned searching for salmon of
knowledge
• Cata the monster
• John Paul Jones
14. Shannon Folklore
• Name from Sinnan daughter of Lear
• Lear was Sea King of Tuaithe de Danann
• Sinnan drowned searching for salmon of
knowledge
• Cata the monster
• John Paul Jones
17. Shannon in History
• Ptolemy mapped river Senus in 1st century
• Luimneach applied to whole Estuary
18. Shannon in History
• Ptolemy mapped river Senus in 1st century
• Luimneach applied to whole Estuary
• Vikings settled in city in 9th century
19. Shannon in History
• Ptolemy mapped river Senus in 1st century
• Luimneach applied to whole Estuary
• Vikings settled in city in 9th century
• Thereafter Limerick synonomous with city
20. Shannon in History
• Ptolemy mapped river Senus in 1st century
• Luimneach applied to whole Estuary
• Vikings settled in city in 9th century
• Thereafter Limerick synonomous with city
• Limerick Mayor had authority over Estuary
21. Shannon in History
• Ptolemy mapped river Senus in 1st century
• Luimneach applied to whole Estuary
• Vikings settled in city in 9th century
• Thereafter Limerick synonomous with city
• Limerick Mayor had authority over Estuary
• Confirmed by Royal charter in 1609
22. Shannon in History
• Ptolemy mapped river Senus in 1st century
• Luimneach applied to whole Estuary
• Vikings settled in city in 9th century
• Thereafter Limerick synonomous with city
• Limerick Mayor had authority over Estuary
• Confirmed by Royal charter in 1609
• Mayor known as Admiral of the Shannon
26. Military Defences
• Estuary gave access to heartland of country
• Defensive forts at Tarbert Scattery etc
• Napoleon aware of placenames on estuary
27. Military Defences
• Estuary gave access to heartland of country
• Defensive forts at Tarbert Scattery etc
• Napoleon aware of placenames on estuary
• Military meant increased trade for locals
28. Military Defences
• Estuary gave access to heartland of country
• Defensive forts at Tarbert Scattery etc
• Napoleon aware of placenames on estuary
• Military meant increased trade for locals
• Dover passes Stromboli lashes
31. Pirates and Smugglers
• 1505 – tri-oared armed galley with 150 men
• Privateers attacked merchant ships
32. Pirates and Smugglers
• 1505 – tri-oared armed galley with 150 men
• Privateers attacked merchant ships
• Wreckers on land using lanterns
33. Pirates and Smugglers
• 1505 – tri-oared armed galley with 150 men
• Privateers attacked merchant ships
• Wreckers on land using lanterns
• Attacks at small ports from land
34. Pirates and Smugglers
• 1505 – tri-oared armed galley with 150 men
• Privateers attacked merchant ships
• Wreckers on land using lanterns
• Attacks at small ports from land
• Tobacco smuggling mainly west of estuary
35. Pirates and Smugglers
• 1505 – tri-oared armed galley with 150 men
• Privateers attacked merchant ships
• Wreckers on land using lanterns
• Attacks at small ports from land
• Tobacco smuggling mainly west of estuary
• Revenue Police patrol for this & illicit stills
38. Development of River Transport
• Today car ferry and large ships main traffic
• Early 19th century turf boats and military
39. Development of River Transport
• Today car ferry and large ships main traffic
• Early 19th century turf boats and military
• Paterson saw potential in Kilkee
40. Development of River Transport
• Today car ferry and large ships main traffic
• Early 19th century turf boats and military
• Paterson saw potential in Kilkee
• 1812 – 2 boats plying from Kilrush
41. Development of River Transport
• Today car ferry and large ships main traffic
• Early 19th century turf boats and military
• Paterson saw potential in Kilkee
• 1812 – 2 boats plying from Kilrush
• 1817 – Lady of the Shannon (Steamer)
42. Development of River Transport
• Today car ferry and large ships main traffic
• Early 19th century turf boats and military
• Paterson saw potential in Kilkee
• 1812 – 2 boats plying from Kilrush
• 1817 – Lady of the Shannon (Steamer)
• Paddle steamers Garryowen Erin go Brath
43. Development of River Transport
• Today car ferry and large ships main traffic
• Early 19th century turf boats and military
• Paterson saw potential in Kilkee
• 1812 – 2 boats plying from Kilrush
• 1817 – Lady of the Shannon (Steamer)
• Paddle steamers Garryowen Erin go Brath
• Problems with tides and wind
44. Emigration
• Agents in most towns for Liners
• Back load from US and Canada
• Emigrants outward and food inward–famine
• Emigrants rowed out to join ships in estuary
• Coffin ship stories exaggerated
45. Commercial Fishing
• Salmon weirs & oyster beds on both shores
• Landlords controlled the fishing rights
• Scotsmen brought in for salmon fishing
• Dispute in 1867 fishermen v Knight
• Ice houses built for storing fish
• Sent to Billingsgate market in London
• Spin off industry – nailors coopers etc
46. Decline of River Transport
• Competition - lower prices & standards
• Improved and new roads
• Bianconi coaches
• Foynes Railway opened in 1858
• West Clare rail access to Kilkee
• Goods inward meant less need to travel
47. Perils on the Shannon
• Wind and swelling Tides
• Currents – Tarbert Races
• Rocks and dumped ballast
• Barriers at low tide
• Poor boats and inexperienced boatmen
• Collisions between craft
48. Pilots
• 1823 – pilots licensed by Bridge Comms
• Family tradition – father to son – part time
• Based at Carrigaholt, Kilbaha & Scattery
• Windsor Castle salvaged by pilots 1830s
• Lighters at Beigh Castle
• Dispute between Limerick and Clare pilots
49. Safety on Shannon
• Code on river to avoid collisions
• To Limerick via Kerry and Limerick shore
• From Limerick via Clare coast.
• Pollution & Fire Plan uses same code
• Collisions – steamy windows
• Sugar Boat – not wreckers!!!
50. Accidents
• 1836 Intrinsic sank at Kilkee-all aboard lost
• 1836 11 Kildysart people drowned at Beigh
• 1840 4 more Kildysart men drowned
• 1847 “Paupers coming from Kilrush”
• 1850 Edmond sank at Kilkee- 98 lives lost
51. Shannon Commissioners
• Set up to develop whole Shannon
• Built piers along Estuary at Foynes etc
• English contractors brought in
• Workers lodged in Glin as Foynes not built
• Glin lost out Monteagle got pier for
Kilteery
• Cited as reason for famine boating tragedy
52. Glin Drowning Tragedy
• Sunday November 21st
“Mermaid” sank
• 11 people drowned near the shore
• Cargo of butter and corn
• Peg Devine Knight’s mistress drowned
• Knight met her at Galway regatta
• All drowned from Glin except two
53. Tarbert Drowning Tragedy
• August 15th
1893 17 people crossed to Clare
• Only one old boat which got into trouble
• On way back boat drifted towards Beale
• Two palatines named Bovenizer drowned
• Boatman and his son included in dead
• One girl missed boat as she had breakfast
54. Coleen Bán
• June 1819 Ellen Hanley eloped from Croom
• Sham marriage to Scanlan in Limerick
• Went to Glin by boat
• Matthew Scanlan lived at Hiphall House
• Ellen murdered by Sullivan at 2nd
attempt
• Scanlan tried November and hung on March 1820
• Sullivan was captured in Tralee & hung July 1820
• Gerald Griffin & Scanlan neighbours in Loughill
55. Coleen Bán Mysteries
• Parson Dicks account is fanciful
• Book written in 1860s when in debt
• No evidence to back his account
• Shanagolden connection ???????????
• Initial reluctance to pursue Scanlan
• Subject not discussed in Glin area even now
• Play on saga broken up by riots in 1930s
56. Changes on Estuary
• 2 power stations Moneypoint & Tarbert
• Foynes Harbour development
• Alcan & Shannon Airport
• Decline of Limerick Docks
• Cargoes differ – mainly tankers
• Regattas and pleasure craft seldom seen