Overview
The Camlin gave Longford its name. The O’Farrell clan – the Ó Fearghail, the dominant Gaelic family of this midland country – built their fortress, the longfort that became “Longford”, on the river’s bank where the town now stands. The Camlin (Irish An Chamlinn, the crooked pool) rises near Abbeylara and Granard and winds west through Clonbroney, Ballinalee and Killoe to Longford town, then splits into two channels and joins the River Shannon out near Cloondara, about 3.5 km above the lock (a couple of sources place the confluence nearer Newtown Forbes).
It’s a quiet, slow river rather than a dramatic one, prone to flooding after heavy rain. Two stretches are worth a visitor’s time: the 10 km Blueway paddling loop where the Camlin meets the Shannon at Cloondara, and the flat riverside Mall walk through Longford town. If you’ve a kayak, do the loop; if you’re just passing through, walk the Mall.
A river that built a town
Longford grew up at the O’Farrells’ fortress on the Camlin, and the river stayed central as the town developed. The first Earl of Longford later built a castle along its banks. The crossing in the town centre is old: Camlin Bridge, dated 1819, stands on a long-used fording point and is probably the site of earlier bridges going back to the town’s founding in the 17th century.
Paddling the Camlin River Loop
The Camlin River Loop Blueway is a 10 km circuit by canoe or kayak. It starts at Richmond Harbour North in Cloondara, runs down the Camlin to its confluence with the Shannon at Corelehan Point, turns south to the lock at Termonbarry, and returns to the start along the Cloondara Canal. The water is gentle and the loop suits beginners and improvers, though it’s a full outing rather than a quick dip. Richmond Harbour and the Termonbarry lock are the main access points; route maps are on the Blueways Ireland and Longford.ie pages for the loop.
Angling
The Camlin is a slow-moving coarse-fishing river, deeper than it looks – generally 5 to 10 feet – and a quieter alternative to the main Shannon. It holds roach, hybrids, bream and tench (to around 5 lb), along with perch, eel, rudd and brown trout; pike are present but only rarely caught. Some stretches fish well but can be hard for a first-time visitor to find.
One thing to sort before you cast: you need a Midland Fisheries Group Permit to fish for pike, coarse fish or trout on the Camlin and its tributaries – it’s not a free-for-all. Shannon Tackle and Scollan’s Gala & Fishing Tackle in Longford town are the places for bait and local advice.
The Mall walk in Longford town
In the town the Camlin runs along the Mall and through the Albert Reynolds Peace Park, where there’s a flat, gravel riverside path past a weir, with benches and open lawns – an easy ten minutes, suitable for prams and wheelchairs, and good for watching waterbirds. The General Seán Mac Eoin monument stands by the river here.
Practical information
- Access and parking: Free parking at Richmond Harbour (Cloondara) and near the Termonbarry lock; these are the main put-in and take-out points for the Blueway. In town, park near the Mall for the riverside walk.
- Navigation: Use the Blueways Ireland or Longford.ie route map for the loop; the river isn’t suited to motorised craft.
- Accessibility: The Mall walk in Longford town is level and pram- and wheelchair-friendly.
- Best time: Late spring to early autumn for the most reliable paddling levels and for angling. Check water levels after heavy rain – the Camlin floods.
- Safety: Wear a buoyancy aid on the water; the loop is calm but can move faster after rain.
Nearby
- Cloondara – Where the Royal Canal meets the Shannon, with the stone-cut Richmond Harbour and the Camlin loop.
- Lanesborough – Shannon town to the south with a marina and riverside walks.
- Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre – A preserved Iron Age bog road, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, south of Longford near Kenagh.
- Granard – Medieval motte and heritage centre near the Camlin’s headwaters.
If you’re only passing through Longford, park near the Mall and walk the flat path past the weir – ten minutes on the bank of the river the whole town is named after.