Killaloe And Ballina Heritage Town Clare
The majestically-arched bridge, which joins these disparate twins, allows the River Shannon to pass gently seawards from the beautiful sylvan surrounding of Lower Lough Derg, where Ireland’s most famous king, Brian Ború, held court at Kincora just one millennium ago.
His numerous descendants assisted in building the Cathedral and other churches not far from the river’s
bank. Killaloe, on the left bank, in County Clare is a network of charming narrow streets, flanked by old shops and houses, that climb up the steep hillside and look down over the 13th century Cathedral. The buildings of Ballina, in North Tipperary line the roadway that runs parallel to the river.
Just upstream, a new marina caters for the hundreds of leisure craft that make Killaloe/Ballina one of the best centres for water activities. The old canal banks, disused railway line and narrow streets and footpaths of the old town make the twin towns a most delightful place to wander through.
