Entertainment In Shannon

Shannon is a small town and its entertainment and cuisine is limited. If you are prepared to travel however, there are many more options available around the region.

Eating out

The best food in Shannon is likely to be found at the top hotels such as the Oakwood Arms, Shannon Court Hotel and the Great Southern Hotel. Reservations should be made in advance. There are also a number of fast food places, sandwich bars and coffee shops in the Skycourt Shopping Centre.

Shannon Knights Inn is a popular place for locals and visitors alike owing to its central location. Several miles away in the small historic village of Quin, the Gallery Restaurant is easily accessible and is located on the main street, just opposite the Abbey.

Nearby Limerick is definitely worth a visit, as it has some of the finest eating and drinking establishments in the area. Brulees, on Henry Street, specialises in fresh fish and offers an international menu with an Irish twist. DuCarte's, at the back of the Hunt Museum, is a popular lunch-time haunt serving healthy home-cooked food, with all of their ingredients sourced locally. In good weather, you can eat outside on the terraces overlooking the Shannon.

Local cuisine

Traditional Irish cooking is, on the whole, fairly basic. It can best be described as good and wholesome, using prime quality local produce and a few spices to enhance the natural flavours. Everyone will no doubt be familiar with the traditional Irish stew, but there are a few other dishes that are not so well known including champ, Ulster fry, wheaten bread, soda bread and potato farls. A popular dish is fillet of John Dory, served on a bed of tomato and goat's cheese, with mashed potatoes, caramelised onions and a creamy fennel sauce.

Ireland is famed for its range of whisky including Old Bushmills, Jamesons, Tullamore Dew and John Powers. Liqueurs such as Baileys and Irish Mist are both made from a base of Irish whisky. Guinness, one of the most famous and popular drinks in the world, can be found everywhere. Limerick also has some of the best bars such as The Curragower Bar at Clancy's Quay and Nelly Blake's in Denmark Street.

Theatre and music

The Shannon region is brimful with entertainment for people of all ages. Entertainment here ranges from traditional Irish music in pubs through to classical concerts, poetry readings and the theatre. Nearly every village in the area has an annual festival of some kind, many centred around either the June or August public holidays.

Many local bars hold seisun (sessions), which are informal gatherings of musicians playing Irish music with traditional instruments such as accordions, flutes, fiddles, mandolins and banjos. They are spontaneous musical events and the songs are from a tradition of Irish dance music that dates back about 300 years.

The Shannon Region Theatre plays host to some of Irelands leading theatre companies and touring groups, and the venues include the Belltable Arts Centre in Limerick City, the Glor Music Centre in Ennis and the Birr Theatre in County Offaly.

Shopping

Shannon has a range of mainstream shops in the new Skycourt Shopping Centre. There is also a number of specialist and tourist-oriented shops, which offer unique and interesting gifts, often made locally. The Ballycasey Craft Centre is about five minutes by car from the town centre and is home to works made by some of the most talented craftspeople and designers in the area. It is set in the courtyard of an 18th century farmhouse and promotes the best in Irish crafts and design. Irish Country Pottery can be found at the Shannon Industrial Estate. It has a complete range of Irish Country Pottery as well as gift baskets made to order.