Shannonbridge
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Shannonbridge Droichead na Sionainne
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| Town | |
| Motto: Esto Fideles - The Faithful | |
 Shannonbridge
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| Coordinates: 53°11′00″N 7°59′00″W / 53.183333°N 7.983333°WCoordinates: 53°11′00″N 7°59′00″W / 53.183333°N 7.983333°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | Offaly |
| Elevation | 38 m (125 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Urban | 206 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | M969253 |
| Website | www |
Shannonbridge (Irish: Droichead na Sionainne) is a village located on the River Shannon, at the junction of the R444 and R357 regional roads in County Offaly, Ireland. It lies within the townland of Raghra (Irish: Reachra), at the borders of counties Offaly, Galway and Roscommon, with the majority of the population living east of the bridge in County Offaly. It has a population of approximately 650, and is predominantly low rise and low-density. There are two housing estates within the village. Its location along Ireland’s largest river and its proximity to Clonmacnoise have contributed to tourism being a key contributor to the local economy. The village is flanked by a Special Area of Conservation – the Shannon Callows. The physical environment consists of the River Shannon, callows, boglands and the Esker Riada (a major routeway in the 18th century). The village has one of the oldest bridges still in use over the River Shannon, completed in 1757.
The monastic settlement of Clonmacnoise is approximately 7 km upriver.
Shannonbridge gets its name from the bridge connecting County Offaly and County Roscommon. Rachra is generally considered the old name for Shannonbridge, but 'Shannonbridge' was adopted after the building of the bridge in 1757. The military may have initially constructed a village, the 'first Shannonbridge', in the vicinity of Temple Duff graveyard just south of the power station.
Shannonbridge was fortified by the British in the Napoleonic era. Some of the fortifications, including a fort that now houses a restaurant, are still visible today on the west bank of the river.
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Wikipedia