Portumna

In August 1939 the Irish travel writer and actor Richard Hayward set out on a road trip to explore the Shannon region just two weeks before the Second World War broke out.&nbsp;
His evocative account of that trip, <a href="https://www.rarebooks.ie/books/history/where-the-river-shannon-flows-1950/" target="_blank">Where the River Shannon Flows</a> , became a bestseller. The book, still sought after by lovers of our enchanting river, captures an Ireland of small shops and barefoot street urchins that has long since disappeared.&nbsp;
In the 1930s, Ireland was a young country still trying to find its feet in the decade following partition. Richard Hayward was noted for his travel books on the country and explored the River Shannon in August 1939, just two weeks before the outbreak of the second World War.

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The Shannon Pot
He set off on his famous journey from the Shannon Pot in Co Cavan in a 12 horsepower Austin car and drove the back roads trailing a caravan behind him hired from the Irish Caravan Company at a cost of £10.
His book, Where the River Shannon Flows, topped the Irish Times non-fiction charts when it was published in 1940. The title came from a song made known by John Count McCormack, around the turn of the twentieth century; in those days, the Shannon was known as ‘The Irish Swanee River’.
On his journey Hayward was accompanied by a photographer and cameraman who made a film of his exploration later shown at cinemas all around Ireland.&nbsp;

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It presented a snapshot of social history, portraying families living on remote islands and secluded shores. It was a countryside with few cars, no tractors, where people worked in the fields.
Hayward was a fluent writer, highly regarded by critics and the public, and his book was written with candour in a bracingly honest style.&nbsp;
Three men in a car, towing a caravan with their cameras, gear and supplies, were a novelty at the time and sometimes locals trailed along behind them.

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On the eve of momentous world events, a world war, Hayward presents to us a startling peaceful contrast in the preface about their departure:
&nbsp;“A warm sun in the sky, a genuine thrill of expectancy and joy in our hearts, and many a song in our mouths as we sped past the sweet fields of Ireland.
Many people today are not aware of Hayward’s legacy, although one man likened his Shannon trip as though he were, “The first man up the Nile.” 

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As may be expected, the longest river to be found in Ireland or Britain has some interesting stories to tell.&nbsp;
Beginning in the cool shade of the Cuilcagh mountains, in Cavan, its winding flow reaches the sea just below Limerick.&nbsp;
The river began flowing along its present course after the end of the last glacial period.
Ptolemy's Geography written in the 2nd century AD described a river called Σηνος (Sēnos) from PIE *sai-/sei- ‘to bind’, the root of English sinew and Irish sin ‘collar’, referring to the long and sinuous estuary leading up to Limerick.

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Ptolomeys Map of Ireland (Hibernia) 
Vikings settled in the region in the 10th century and used the river to raid the rich monasteries deep inland. In 937 the Limerick Vikings clashed with those of Dublin on Lough Ree and were defeated.
Importantly, the Shannon drains approximately 15,500 square kms, or one-fifth of the island of Ireland through its tributaries.&nbsp;&nbsp;
‘Tale of the Salmon of Wisdom’ in the time of Finn McCool and the Fianna, a girl named Sinnan, daughter of Lodan, went in search of a wise salmon. She came to the place, which has become known as the Shannon Pot, where the salmon lived.&nbsp;

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Finn McCool - Artist: Richard Hamilton
On learning of the girl’s mission, Finn McCool caused the pool to overflow and drown the young maiden. Her name became associated with its emanating flow that became anglicised as Shannon.
Other legends surrounding the ancient waterway include the tale of a ‘river monster’ known as Cata.&nbsp;
Back in medieval times, the monster was described as having a ‘horse mane, whale’s tail, thick feet, gleaming eyes and nails of iron’.&nbsp;
Despite legends that the monster was slain by Senan, the patron saint of County Clare, sightings have been reported in more modern times, and there is an annual festival at Lough Ree dedicated to the Cata.

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Lough Ree - can you spot Cata?
Eighty years on, and inspired by his work, Paul Clements <a href="https://www.ennisbookshop.ie/p/paul-clements-shannon-country-a-river-journey-through-time/9781843517832" target="_blank">Shannon Country </a> retraced Hayward's journey along the river, following - if not strictly in his footsteps - then within the spirit of his trip.&nbsp;
He wanted to see what traces, if any, of him were still visible. He was also keen to explore as Hayward would have done, and to try to understand his motivations and love of the Shannon.

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From the Shannon Pot in Cavan, 344 kilometres south to the Shannon estuary, his meandering odyssey took him by car, on foot, by bike and boat, discovering how the riverscape has changed but is still powerful in symbolism.&nbsp;
While he recreates Hayward's trip, Clements also paints a compelling portrait of twenty-first century Ireland, mingling travel and anecdote with an eye for the natural world.&nbsp;

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Mallard 
He sails to remote islands, spends times in rural backwaters and secluded riverside villages where the pub was the hub, and attempts a quest for the Shannon connection behind the title of Flann O'Brien's novel <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_Swim-Two-Birds" target="_blank">At Swim-Two-Birds. </a> 
The book gives a voice to stories from water gypsies, anglers, sailors, lock keepers, bog artists, 'insta' pilgrims and a water diviner celebrating wisdom through her river songs illuminating our cultural history and identity.&nbsp;

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It focuses on the hardship faced by farmers and householders caused by the flooding of the river, which in recent winters has left fields and towns under siege by water.&nbsp;
Wildlife, nature, and the built heritage, including historic bridges, all play a part. The Shannon Callows, which used to be 'corncrake central', is explored for birdlife, along with the wildflower secrets of roadside hedges and riverbanks.&nbsp;

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Corncrake
On a quixotic journey by foot, boat, bike and car, Paul Clements produces an intimate portrait of the hidden countryside, its people, topography and wildlife, creating a collective memory map, looking at what has been lost, what has been found and what has disappeared.
Through rhythmic roaming, he maps the geography of the river in stories, testimonies and recollections, criss crossing the past and the present in an eternal rhythm.&nbsp;
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Beyond the motorways and cities, you can still catch the pulse of an older, quieter Ireland of hay meadows and bogs, uninhabited islands and remote towpaths.&nbsp;

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This is the country of the River Shannon that runs through literature, art, cultural history and mythology with a riptide pull on our imagination. This is a tribute to Ireland's longest river reflecting the deep vein flowing through the culture of the country.
What are you waiting for? The Shannon is there and ready for the taking. From Portumna, you can enjoy its many pleasures with a <a href="https://xploreapp.io/portumna/hike/forest-friendly-walking-trail-14-km-portumna-forest-park-pkzff" target="_blank">walk</a> , <a href="https://xploreapp.io/portumna/hike/bonaveen-cycling-trail-portumna-forest-park-yjewt" target="_blank">cycle</a> , <a href="https://xploreapp.io/portumna/hike/paddling-trails-uyutv" target="_self">paddle </a> or simply relax at its shores with a picnic.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Feel like a cruise, weekend or longer, look no further than <a href="https://xploreapp.io/portumna/hike/forest-friendly-walking-trail-14-km-portumna-forest-park-pkzff" target="_blank">Le Boat </a> bringing explorers to and from Portumna for over 50 years. All you need is a little imagination.
“One takes what the river offers, both good and bad. The joy of living by running water far outweighs the sorrow.”
― Matthew Goldman, The Journals of Constant Waterman: Paddling, Poling, and Sailing for the Love of It

Where the River Shannon Flows

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