From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mountshannon Baile Uí Bheoláin
Location
Irish Grid Reference R700870
Statistics
Province:	Munster
County:	County Clare
Population ()

Mountshannon (Baile Uí Bheoláin in Irish) is a village in east County Clare, Ireland. The village is on the western shore of Lough Derg, north of Killaloe.

The village was designed and built from scratch by Alexander Woods, a Limerick merchant, who intended it as a purely Protestant settlement from which the surrounding Catholic population would be so impressed by the thrift and industry of the settlers that they would quickly convert to the Reformed Church; even as late as the 1830's there was not a single Catholic resident in the village. In fact the reverse happened - it was the Catholics who colonised the village, and the picturesque Protestant church in a wooded churchyard bears mute testimony to Woods and his scheme.

Mountshannon was also home to the last manually operated telephone exchange in Ireland. The exchange was finally converted to automatic service at noon on May 28th 1987.

Today, Mountshannon boasts three pubs, one hotel, a tiny post office, and one and a half shops (one of the shops is also the post office and petrol station, while the other is half pub, half shop). Mountshannon is a very well kept and pretty village, and it is a jumping off point for a visit to the nearby Inish Cealtra, (Holy Island) now uninhabited (except for the cattle), it was once a monastic settlement, which is well worth a visit. It has a fine round tower but the top is missing, and the ruins of several small churches and cells, as well as part of 4 high crosses and a holy well. The cemetery on this island is still in use, the coffins being transported from the Clare side in small boats. There is a stone with a hole in it, through which lovers held hands and promised to be true. Boat trips can be taken from the harbour to the island.

A recent addition to Mountshannon is the maze built in the center of town in a very well maintained small park, with lovely views of Lough Derg. The maze features information about the development of traditional art in Ireland. Next to the maze is a picnic area made out of wood carved by local artists. In the entrance is a stone with a hole facing toward Holy Island. To the rear of the maze is a fine turf labyrinth similar to the pavement labyrinth at Chartres Cathedral in France.

Mountshannon Harbour, is a sheltered south facing harbour, very popular in the summer months with cruisers, who pull up for the night and head into the village for a couple of pints and some traditional music. A separate bathing area is very popular with local families.

See also: List of towns in the Republic of Ireland

Coordinates: 52°56′N, 8°26′W

This Ireland geographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.