Discover Ballinamore

The canal linking the River Shannon and River Erne is a landmark in Ballinamore. Different interests come together when planning your trip: the history of a waterway, walking and cycling loops, a golf course and a small museum. You can consider which of these themes you would like to shape your stay.

Canal and construction history

A bridge with 19th-century arches stands at the main entrance to Ballinamore. It dates from the original construction of the Ballinamore-Ballyconnell Canal during the Irish Famine. The canal’s history is therefore connected with a specific structure at the main entrance.

The Ballinamore & Ballyconnell Canal opened in 1860 and linked the waterways of the north with those of the south. This made passage between Belfast, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford possible. After restoration and reopening to traffic, the former canal was renamed the Shannon-Erne Waterway. The official opening took place on 23 May 1994 at Corraquil Lock, Teemore, Co. Fermanagh.

Walking loops, cycling and golf

The Ballinamore Looped Walking Trail is 4.5 km long. It starts at Ballinamore Marina, forms a loop at Longstones and returns to Ballinamore. The Ballinamore Looped Cycling Trail is also 4.5 km long: it starts at the same marina, loops at Longstones and returns to Ballinamore. Both descriptions give the same distance and the same notable points along the route for choosing between the walking and cycling loops; they differ in the activity specified.

Another walking option lies in the immediate vicinity of the destination. The route from Ballyduff Lock 7 to Aghoo Bridge is 8 km long and follows the towpath of the Shannon-Erne Waterways, as well as smaller public roads for part of the way. Unlike the Ballinamore loops, this route is described as a journey between two named endpoints.

Ballinamore Golf Club is a 9-hole parkland course in the rolling farmland of County Leitrim. It borders the Ballinamore-Ballyconnell Canal, and the club offers panoramic views of the slopes of Sliabh-an-Iarainn. This adds another option to the waterside routes for travellers interested in golf.

Insights into local working history

Lawderdale House in Ballinamore is home to a small museum with old and antique tools and small equipment for estate work, blacksmithing, wheelwrighting, woodworking and forestry. The collection focuses on different types of work and the tools used for them. Advance arrangements are required for larger groups.

More destinations in County Leitrim

County Leitrim also offers distinctive destinations with a range of historical themes. Parke’s Castle is a restored early 17th-century castle on the northern shore of Lough Gill in County Leitrim. The Kiltyclogher Heritage Centre in County Leitrim has an exhibition about Seán MacDiarmada, a signatory of the 1916 Proclamation, with audiovisual facilities and explanatory panels. The castle and the exhibition offer different points of interest for those interested in the region’s history.

Routes in County Leitrim differ in type and scope. The first section of the Shannon Blueway comprises 16.5 km of waterways as well as walking and cycling loops between Drumshanbo and Carrick-on-Shannon. The Leitrim Way is a 56 km long-distance walking trail from Manorhamilton to Leitrim Village; it usually takes two to three days. This offers a contrast between a route with waterways and loops and a longer walking route with its usual time frame.

Discover more destinations: Drumod, Kilclare, Dromahair, Mohill, Carrigallen, Manorhamilton, Fenagh, Glenfarne.

For the broader travel overview: County Leitrim.