Map of Leitrim, Highlighting Carrick-on-Shannon
Map of Leitrim, showing the main towns in North and South Leitrim. Carrick-on-Shannon is highlighted.
Leitrim County LibraryMap of Leitrim, Highlighting Carrick-on-Shannon
Leitrim County Library
Leitrim County Library
Map of Leitrim, Highlighting Carrick-on-Shannon
Map of Leitrim, showing the main towns in North and South Leitrim. Carrick-on-Shannon is highlighted.
Leitrim County Library
Carrick-on-Shannon photo
Carrick-on-Shannon
Carrick-on-Shannon photo
Carrick-on-Shannon photo
Carrick-on-Shannon
Carrick-on-Shannon is the county town and administrative centre of Co. Leitrim.
It is situated along the N4 and gets its name from the River Shannon, on which it is built.
Carrick-on-Shannon is the cruising capital of the Shannon, and has a beautiful marina. The Irish name for the town is Cora Droma Rúisc, which means 'the weir of the ridge of the swamp'.
Carrick-on-Shannon was the ancient stronghold of the O'Rourkes of Breifne and their rivals, the O'Raghnaills (Reynolds) of north Roscommon, up until the sixteenth century.
The town was granted a royal charter and named a borough, with its own seal, in 1607. A large portion of the surrounding county was given to English settlers in 1620, but this venture was largely unsuccessful. Many settlers left because of constant raids by local clans.