Start your tour through the compact streets of Carrick-on-Shannon at the iconic Carrick Bridge, the seven-arched stone span that carries traffic over the narrowest point of the broad Shannon since the early nineteenth century.
Pause here to take in the views upstream and downstream, where leisure cruisers and narrowboats bob gently against the quays, and the water reflects the town’s lively yet relaxed atmosphere. The bridge marks the traditional divide between counties Leitrim and Roscommon, making it a symbolic crossing for any tour.
From the bridge, stroll along Bridge Street, the animated thoroughfare lined with independent shops, pubs, and eateries that spill tables onto the pavement in fine weather. This stretch hums with the everyday life of a river town, its Georgian and Victorian façades hinting at prosperity from the days when the Shannon was Ireland’s principal commercial artery.
A short turn onto Main Street brings one to St Mary’s Catholic Church, a handsome neo-Gothic edifice of local limestone with pointed arches, stained glass, and a soaring interior that speaks of nineteenth-century devotion. Nearby stands the remarkable Costello Memorial Chapel, often billed as the second-smallest chapel in Europe and certainly one of the tiniest in Ireland. Built in 1877 by a grieving businessman as a tomb for his young wife, the diminutive structure—barely large enough for an altar and two coffins—sits beside the road in poignant contrast to the grander church opposite; its iron-gated exterior and intricate interior carvings make it an essential, if brief, detour.
Continue along Main Street to St George’s Heritage and Visitor Centre, housed in a restored early-nineteenth-century church on St George’s Terrace. The building’s elegant simplicity now shelters displays on local history, from monastic origins to the canal era, providing context for the town’s growth as a boating and angling centre.
For a scenic finale, wander down to the quays and marina area, where the Shannon laps against moored vessels and the path invites a waterside promenade. Here, one can glimpse The Dock, the modern arts centre in a converted warehouse that hosts exhibitions, performances, and a café, injecting contemporary creativity into the historic setting. Benches along the riverbank offer spots to rest and watch boats glide past, while the gentle current carries echoes of the Shannon’s ancient role as a trade route and modern playground.
This modest circuit, easily completed in under an hour at a relaxed pace, captures Carrick-on-Shannon’s essence: no sweeping vistas or towering monuments, but a pleasing intimacy born of river, bridge, and small-town heritage, where the pace slows to match the flow of the water itself.
Largest town walking tour
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Population of towns in county
Towns
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Villages
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
County Leitrim:
Ireland’s county Leitrim is a haven of waterways and unspoilt scenery, with the Shannon-Erne Waterway offering tranquil boating and fishing opportunities. Carrick-on-Shannon’s historic Costello Chapel and vibrant marina provide cultural and leisurely appeal, while Glencar Waterfall adds natural beauty. Leitrim is Ireland’s seventh smallest county by size (1,525 square km) and smallest by population (35,199). Population peaked at 155,297 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 25,057 in 1996. In terms of hospitality, Leitrim is Ireland’s 29th most visited tourist county with around 39,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Music – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
