Castleconnell

Castleconnell (Irish: Caisleán Uí Chonaill) is a scenic village on the banks of the River Shannon, some 11 km (6.8 mi) from Limerick city and within a few minutes walk of the boundaries with counties Clare and Tipperary. Many fine nineteenth-century buildings overlook the Shannon in Castleconnell. One of these, the former schoolhouse, is now home to the Irish Harp Centre, run by noted harpist Janet Harbison and her husband. Another, the former convent, is now the Castleoaks House Hotel, which (because of its scenic location) is a popular venue for wedding receptions. A little south of the village lies the ruins of the once-grand Mountshannon house, a Palladian mansion gutted by fire early in the 20th century. The village centre has...