Explore the highlights of Lough Derg, just a short distance from the Nest.

The Nest is situated at the heart of the Lough Derg region in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, with the harbour town of Dromineer a 5-minute drive away.

Lough Derg borders on 3 counties, namely Tipperary, Galway and Clare. Read on to find out about just some of what Lough Derg has to offer!

Or visit Discover Lough Derg for more details.

Tipperary – Puckane Village

Heading north from the Nest, the first village you will reach is Puckaun. Here there are 2 pubs, including Kennedy’s, which is a renowned ‘music pub’, and at one point hosted big names such as Christy Moore and The Pogues. The latter featured singer songwriter Shane MacGowan, who split his childhood years between the family home in London and his mother’s family home in nearby Carney. There is a tour, known as ‘Unravelling Shane MacGowan’, which features several spots which were dear to him in the area.

Tipperary – Luska Pier/Terryglass

Around 3km north of Puckaun, you will come to a left turn signposted to Luska. This brings you to a beautifully quiet stretch of shoreline. There are several places to stop and admire the view, and you will also pass my personal favourite, at Cleary’s Quay, where you can sit on the bench and just enjoy the silence! Shortly after Cleary’s Quay there is a ruined 12th Century church, known as Kilbarron Abbey. This is on the site of an earlier building, which was established by St Barron in the 6th Century. St Barron was a much-travelled monk, and some claimed he may even have travelled as far as North America, even before St Brendan.

Continuing north, we next come to a stretch of road featuring several turns off to the left for such beauty spots as Mota Quay, before we arrive at Ballinderry, where there is an arched bridge over the River Ballinfoy. Continuing along the road, we next come to Terryglass. Here, there is a beautiful harbour which is popular with leisure craft. There are also 2 holy wells. One is said to be good for eyesight and the other is said to cure headaches. Back in Terryglass village, there are 2 pubs, namley Paddy’s Bar and the Derg Inn. Both do good food and are ideal stops on your journey around the Lough.

Leaving Terryglass behind, you will come to the N65 main road at Carrigahorig, and here you can pause for a coffee or browse the artisan foods available at the Mill Pantry, which is open Fridays and Saturdays

County Galway – Portumna

Following the N65 north, you will cross the River Shannon shortly before arriving in Portumna. The river crossing is a ‘swing bridge’, which opens several times a day to allow boats to pass by.

In Portumna you will find several shops and cafes, and at the far end of town there is great walking from the Portumna Marina and the Portumna Forest Park. You can also visit the Abbey and the Castle close by the Marina.

Continuing around the Lough Derg Drive, you will pass villages such as Woodford and Whitegate.

County Clare – Mountshannon

As you continue south, you will pass into County Clare at Mountshannon. Mountshannon is a harbour town which was originally built as a hub for the linen industry. On the Main Street you will find a number of cafes and pubs, including The Snug, serving Italian food, and cafes The Berry Tree and That’s My Brew. Heading down to the Harbour, you will find the Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience. Here you can view exhibits and a short video about the history of the nearby Inis Cealtra (Holy Island). This was a major monastic site from the 6th Century to the 16th Century, and is well worth a visit.

County Clare – Holy Island

There is a boat which will take you out to the island from Mountshannon Harbour, and tickets can be booked from the Visitor Centre. In the event that the visitor centre is closed, you can also buy tickets for the boat directly from the operator, Ger Madden.

County Clare – Scarriff & Tuamgraney

Continuing south from Mountshannon, you will next arrive at the market towns of Scariff and Tuamgraney. These are both ancient settlements, and Tuamgraney includes the oldest church in Ireland which is still in operation for regular services, namely the 10th Century St Cronan’s. Also in Scariff is the East Clare Community Cooperative, where you can enjoy a drink and wander into the gardens as well as viewing local crafts. In Tuamgraney you can visit Wilde Irish Chocolates (where you can make your own bar or simply sample the wares!) or the McKernan Woollen Mills, where they will be happy to show their vintage machinery being operated.

County Clare – Killaloe/Ballina

Continuing southwards, the next stretch of road follows the western shore of Lough Derg, and includes fantastic views across the lake at various spots, until you arrive at Two Mile Gate, a local beauty spot which is very popular for water sports enthusiasts, particularly swimmers and kayakers. There is also an inflatable ‘water park’ during the summer months, which is very popular with the under 18s.

A short distance further, you will come to the twin towns of Killaloe (in County Clare) and Ballina (in County Tipperary), with an ancient bridge linking the two. The bridge is now closed to traffic, and makes an excellent viewpoint up and down the River Shannon. Within Killaloe, there are numerous pubs and cafes, including the Bridge 14 Coffee shop, Bless Cafe and the Ponte Vecchio Cafe. There is also the 12th Century St Flannan’s Cathedral, which is well worth a visit, and if you book ahead, they can even arrange for you to have a go at ringing the bells! On Sundays there is a farmer’s market down by the river, and there are great walks along both river banks.

Tipperary – Killaloe/Ballina

Crossing over the river from Killaloe to Ballina, there are a number of great places to eat, including The Wooden Spoon and Flanagan’s, and there is a beautiful walkway along the river bank. Killaloe and Ballina are great for cycling, with a dedicated cycle path taking you across the new bridge and around Killaloe, as well as connecting Ballina to nearby Birdhill.

Tipperary – Head for the Hills, Graves of the Leinstermen

Heading north out of Ballina, you have 2 choices, either to head up into the hills or to follow the main road. If you choose to head up into the hills, you will be on narrow steep roads, but if you’re not intimidated by that, it is so worth it, as you will arrive at a viewpoint known as The Graves of The Leinstermen. The Graves are neolithic tombs, from which you will have great views down over the lake, and from where you can hike to the top of either of the local hills, namely Tountinna or Laghtea. Tountinna is the higher of the two, and is the tougher climb. Laghtea is notable for ‘The Millenium Cross’ at its summit, and is about a 1km walk from the parking area. When you return back to The Nest after your climb you will be able to see the hills from your back window!

Tipperary – Take the low road

If you choose to follow the main road instead of heading up into the hills, you will see beautiful views of the lake until you come to a beauty spot known as The Lookout. Here you will enjoy great views down over the lake and across into County Clare.

Tipperary – Lakeside beach with fantastic views

Downhill from both the Lookout and the Graves of the Leinsterman, you will come back down to the lake shore at Castlelough. Here there is a small beach with public areas for barbecuing, as well as woodland walks. And yet more stunning views!

Tipperary – Lakeside village Garrykennedy

The next place you will come to along the shore is Garrykennedy. This was once an important port for building materials mined from the hills above the village, but is now a centre for tourism, complete with a beautiful harbour and a ruined castle, along with a pleasant woodland walk. When you’re done with all that sightseeing, we highly recommend a visit to the award winning Larkins Restaurant and Bar, where you can enjoy fantastic food and drink. It is particularly recommended on a Sunday, when their Sunday roast is wonderful, and they have a Trad musical session in the evening.

Tipperary – Lakeside village Dromineer

The final place you will reach on your lap of the lake is Dromineer, which is also the nearest lakeside village to The Nest. Here, there are fine lakeside walks, a ruined castle and a swimming spot which is well used by customers of Ritual Sauna. There is also good food at the Whiskey Still pub.