Portumna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Portumna Port Omna |
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| Location | ||
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| Irish Grid Reference M853042 |
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| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Connacht | |
| County: | County Galway | |
| Elevation: | 60 m | |
| Population (2002) - Town: - Rural: |
2,015 1,920 |
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Portumna (Port Omna in Irish - meaning port of the oak) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, on the border with County North Tipperary. Portumna is located in South East Galway at the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg. This historic crossing point over the Shannon river between counties Tipperary and Galway has a long history of bridges and ferry crossings.
Portumna is currently served with a five-span road bridge over the river. This was was designed by C. E. Stanier of London, and completed in 1911, with a central section resting on Hayes's Island which divides river into two channels. The steel structure of the main bridge and pivotting swing bridge over the navigation channel are of technical and engineering interest, and it is the largest early-twentieth century swivel bridge in Europe. The Shannon at this point consists of two channels divided by Hayes Island, the one on the North Tipperary side being about 260 ft wide, and that on the Galway side being about 240 ft wide. Each channel is spanned by three pairs of mild-steel plate girders (either 80 ft or 90 ft in length) resting on 9 ft diameter concrete-filled cast-iron cylinders.
The town is famous for Portumna Castle which both King James I and Queen Elizabeth I of England visited, and for the lords that lived there. The great semi-fortified house at Portumna was built before 1618 by Richard Burke or de Burgo, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. It was the main seat of the de Burgo family for over 200 years, until it was gutted by fire in 1826. The ground floor of the house is now open to the public. To the north of the house are formal, geometrically laid out gardens. Exhibitions in the castle and Gate House. (Conservation works are ongoing.) Portumna Castle now includes the recently restored 17th century walled kitchen garden. Following its original plan the garden has been organically planted with fruit trees, flowers, herbs and vegetables, all combining to make it a treat to the senses. Portumna Castle is surrounded by the towns' local attractions - Lough Derg and the Forest Park.
Portumna is a well-known tourist destination for boaters, golfers and anglers thanks to its natural amenities. As the town is at the junction of the River Shannon and Lough Derg, there are a number of harbours, two of which are on the Portumna side of the river. These are Connaught Harbour, which is on Bridge Road, on the eastern side of the town, and New Harbour which is on Castle Avenue, adjacent to the caslte on the southern edge of the town. An 18-hole parkland golf course is on the western approach to the town, approx. 2km from the town centre on the Ennis/Gort road.
For angling enthusiasts, Portumna offers good fishing waters which have a good track record. There are several prime angling hotspots, a number which are official match stretches located on the river Shannon itself and the Northern Shores of Lough Derg. On the river there are two stretches up and downstream of Portumna, known locally as the lower 'town stretches' or Rogers Island and upper ESB stretch called Fairyhill. The most commonly caught species include,Pike, Perch, Bream, Roach and Hybrids.
The town is home to the 2006 All-Ireland Club Hurling Champions, as the town's senior hurlers beat the Co. Cork champions Newtownshandrum in Croke Park on St. Patricks Day, 2006. Portumna lost their Galway county title later on in 2006 to Loughrea, who went all the way to the 2007 Club Final, and were defeated there by Ballyhale Shamrocks from Co. Kilkenny.
