Day 4. Banagher to Athlone

Day 4.   Wednesday Sept 16.

Bannagher (Offaly) to Athlone Westmeath)

Distance (km):  57

Cycling Time: (hrs:min)  2:44

Average Speed (km/hr)   20.7

Total Ascent (m):   230

Average Heart Rate (bpm):   110

Cumulative Distance: 220 km

Cumulative Ascent:   972m

Punctures so far:  0

 

Now that Co Offaly is out of Covid restrictions, I’m free to complete the Banagher to Athlone section. It was a matter of driving up to Banagher, cycling to Athlone by the Shannon and then directly back to the car…..a day's total cycle of 92km .

I parked up on the Galway side of the river on that island created by the Shannon and the canal built to circumvent the Banagher ford but not in use since 1840.

At this point the Shannon is flowing due west and I was heading in a south-easterly direction. Crossing across the bridge the marina on my right was quiet and shrouded in the early morning fog. Up the Main St a bit and then a 90 degree left onto the Cloghan/Ferbane road against the flow of students off to school. Everything around here is St Rynaghs, not just the hurling club.

Within 3 km I hit off on a minor road for Shannon Harbour. Shannon Harbour is about 500m inland from the Shannon and is the terminus of the Grand Canal. The canal joins with the Brosna for the last few hundred metres before both link up with the Shannon.

Shannon Harbour is a purpose-built village (1830) designed, built and operated as a trans-shipping centre. One can see the Custom Barracks, Harbour Master’s House (now a B&B) and the Grand Hotel (now roofless) in the vicinity of the harbour.

From 1830 to 1840 over 250,000 people used the passenger barges along the canal. That passenger and commercial trading is no more but leisure cruising and coarse fishing has brought the village to life again. However not much stirring on any of the cruisers as I cycled out along the gravel path to view the confluence with the Shannon. However that path stopped just before the canal and Brosna meet. I’d reckon that most of these craft are parked up here safe from the floods of the Shannon.

So, I crossed the Grand Canal and the Brosna and after another 3km another left and 10km along a flat quiet road till I was welcomed into Shannonbridge. 

Just here on my left stood the Shannonbridge ESB power station (peat burning) that’s due to be closed down at the end of 2020. In Aug 2009, Ireland’s first ever Climate Camp was held in a field here adjacent to the power station when activists protested against the burning of peat on account of the large amounts of carbon and methane released in the process.

The village leads right up to the bridge, a crossing that was always a major strategic link between Leinster and Connaught. Just across the bridge I was surprised to be welcomed to Co Roscommon. I had just assumed that it was still Co Galway on the far side. You learn something new each day….every day is a school day!

This 16-arch bridge is the longest on the Shannon, built in 1757, in 1845 an opening span was inserted for trading vessels but reconfigured as a fixed arch in 1984.

Just before the bridge as I approached the bridge stands the Harbour Master’s House where he stamped and registered the barges but now a Visitor Centre.

This bridge, controlled by traffic lights, and adjacent buildings is one of the most interesting features on the river and it’s no wonder that the locals are campaigning to have Shannonbridge to be included on the Athlone to Galway Cycleway. Definitely well worth a visit.

At the far side (Roscommon side) stands an imposing 3 storied bomb-proof Blockhouse (part of the former Infantary Barracks) built in the early years of the 1800's in preparation for the expected French Invasion on the west coast. Ever since General Humbert’s arrival in 1798 at Killala, the French threat was taken seriously. The Blockhouse was the living quarters for the 100 strong infantry garrison and in its day had three 24-pounder guns on the top pointing westwards. As the French never arrived, its capabilities were never tested. It now operates as the River Café. There were further artillery points out on its western side and all are in recognisable shape still.

Thee present car park (out front) was the parade ground and the cook house still stands close to the river. The complex ceased as a barracks in 1865.

From here upstream the Shannon moves slowly over the landscape often forking into many channels.

Continuing on a further 7 km on the R444 brought me to the monastic site of Clonmacnoise perched on a remote bare height over the Shannon founded by St Ciaran of Roscommon (not to be confused with St Ciaran of Ossory) in the C6.

I had no problem finding a parking spot for the bike but the entry fee (€3) had to be paid online. No cash, no cards. I went online and proceeded successfully down through the stages (with assistance from the attendant) but the whole process seized near the end. Page frozen. We tried and tried but all of no avail. Finally he says to me ‘Go on, we’ll not charge you'.

Originally buildings here would have been of timber and the present stone buildings would be of 9^th century. Naturally the complex attracted raiders but it was finally ransacked in 1553 by a troop of English soldiers from the garrison in Athlone.

Temple Connor

Temple Ciaran

Cross of the Scriptures

North Cross

South Cross

It was a pleasant morning to move about with just a few other visitors (some from cruisers berthed below) viewing the 2 round towers and the crosses. The original crosses (North Cross, Cross of the Scriptures and the South Cross) are inside in the Visitors Centre and exact replicas stand in the original positions. The site also contains a cathedral and nine churches (temples).

Pope John Paul visited here in 1979 (Sunday Sept 30) and addressed a crowd of 30,000 on the day.

Leaving Clonmacnoise I continued on a very narrow road following the line of Esker Riada, a continuous ridge of gravel/sand marking the course of rivers under a glacier. Along this stretch I had a noble view out to both sides. 

Peat bogs at various stages of harvesting on one side and the Shannon callows on the other i.e. river meadows sodden for much of the year, undrained and uncultivated but rich nutritious grass for beef when they dry out. Inevitably when floods occur these parts are under feet of water.

Coming near to Athlone I detoured west again down along tiny roads close to the river. I was surprised the amount of apparently recently built houses that stood here almost on the same level as the Shannon in September.

In time, just short of 3 hours I approached the Athlone through Burgess Park just below the impressive weir with the bridge ahead dominated by Athlone Castle and the Church of Saint Peter and Paul.

Another stage complete on this tour of the waterways.

A quick lunch on a park bench and then head out on the 36km spin back to the car in Banagher.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.