A crossing-place on the Shannon at the southern end of Lough Derg, its principal features are a narrow but pretty many-arched bridge and Killaloe Cathedral, which contains a remarkable inscribed stone in both Viking runes and Celtic ogam. (There was a strong Viking prescence in this area, and they had a permanent base further up the Shannon at Lough Ree). In the grounds of the Cathedral are the remains of a small church (St. Flannans Oratory, 12^th century), known locally as 'Brian Boru's vault'. It has a stone roof.

Killaloe is effectively the southern limit for cruising on the Shannon, and has an Emerald Star Line depot for cruiser hire as well as some much smaller boat-hire enterprises. At the other side of the bridge , but in Co. Tipperary, is the village of Ballina, an extension of Killaloe, but the relationship becomes confrontational whenever Clare meets Tipperary in championship hurling !

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