Shannon Estuary facts for kids

The Shannon Estuary (called Inbhear na Sionainne in Irish) is a big estuary in Ireland. It's where the long River Shannon meets the Atlantic Ocean.

The estuary starts near Limerick City. It stretches all the way out to the sea, ending between Loop Head in the north and Kerry Head in the south. This large water body forms the main border between County Kerry and County Limerick on one side, and County Clare on the other.

The Shannon Estuary is about 97 kilometers (60 miles) long. The water level here changes a lot with the tides. This big change in water level has made people think about using the estuary to create electricity from the tides.

In the past, about 65 square kilometers (25 square miles) of low-lying land along the estuary was changed. People built banks to reclaim this land, mostly for farming.

Aircraft and Airports

In the late 1930s, big planes called flying boats were used for flights across the Atlantic Ocean. A special terminal for these flying boats was built at Foynes, on the south side of the Shannon Estuary.

However, people soon realized that new planes would need proper runways on land. So, in 1936, the government of Ireland decided to build a new airport. They chose a 3.1 square kilometer (1.2 square mile) area at Rineanna. This land was very wet, like a bog, so they started draining it in October 1936.

By 1942, a working airport was ready and named Shannon Airport. Passengers then moved from the flying boats at Foynes to the land planes at Shannon Airport. By 1945, the runways at Shannon were made even longer. This meant that transatlantic flights could land there directly, and Foynes was no longer needed for these flights.

Busy Port Activities

The Shannon Foynes Port Company is in charge of all the port activities along the entire estuary. They own important places like Foynes Dock, parts of Limerick City, and a jetty near the airport.

They also provide helpful services like pilotage (guiding ships) and towage (pulling ships) to other private facilities. These include places like Moneypoint, Tarbert Island, and Aughinish. You can learn more about the estuary's shipping history at the Maritime Section of the Foynes Flying Boat Museum.

Using the Estuary Wisely

The Shannon Estuary is a very important natural resource for Ireland. It offers space and opportunities for economic growth, social activities, and protecting the environment.

Recently, a plan called the Strategic Integrated Framework Plan (SIFP) was created. This plan helps guide how the Shannon Estuary should be developed and managed in the future. It was started in 2011 by local councils and the Shannon Foynes Port Company. Many groups work together to make sure the estuary is used in a smart and sustainable way.

Scientists have studied how much tidal power could be made from the estuary. They think it could produce a lot of electricity each year.

Amazing Wildlife

The Shannon Estuary is home to some amazing animals! One special resident is the Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). These intelligent dolphins are often seen swimming and playing in the estuary waters.

Fishing in the Estuary

There's a special program for eels on the River Shannon. This program helps young eels travel safely between Killaloe Bridge and the Shannon Estuary. It's important because the number of eels in the river has been going down.

In the past, fishing was a very big industry in the Shannon Estuary. Hundreds of people worked as fishermen. In Limerick, fishermen used a special boat called a Gandelow to catch Salmon.

However, things changed in the 1920s when a dam was built at Ardnacrusha. This dam made it harder for salmon to breed. Also, new rules about how many fish could be caught (quotas) meant that by the 1950s, salmon fishing stopped. But people still enjoy fishing for fun today!

Further down the estuary, near Kilrush, fishermen used a boat called a Currach to catch Herring. They also used nets to catch salmon.

See also

In Spanish: Estuario del Shannon para niños