
Place in Southern, Ireland
Photo: Jacobfrid, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Shannon or Mid-West Region is a region of Ireland comprising County Clare, County Limerick and County Tipperary, with a population of about 505,000 in 2022. The area is mostly lowland, with small towns living on agriculture. There are many medieval abbeys (all ruined by the Dissolution and Reformation), with the big religious centre at Cashel. Castles and tower houses rear up here and there like stone fists of defiance, but were mostly smashed by Cromwell in the 17th century.
By train
Trains run every hour or two from Dublin Heuston via Thurles to Limerick Junction, which in spite of the name is near Tipperary town.
By bus
Bus X12 runs hourly from Dublin Airport, downtown Busáras and Heuston railway station via Portlaoise to Roscrea, Nenagh and Limerick.
By car
By car: you'll need one to explore the countryside. There are car rental offices at Shannon Airport and in Limerick city.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Shannon · International · SNN
Loading places around the airport…

The Burren (Boireann, "great rock") is a large area of northern County Clare, in the west of Ireland, with karst landscape - a great bare limestone sheet sculpted by water action. Part of it is The Burren National Park, and part is The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark.
The Aran Islands (Oileáin Árann) are three islands in County Galway in the west of Ireland. They have stark treeless scenery of barren limestone which makes the green of their fields and heathland shine all the brighter.
Articles and travel topics about Shannon Region and Ireland.
Find the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Explore the best places to visit in March across Japanese cherry blossoms, explosive Spanish fiestas, desert wonders in Jordan, and Irish music sessions.
7 min read
Explore the best castle and gothic hotel stays in Europe. Discover historic fortresses, medieval estates, luxury châteaux, and Spanish parador hotels.
6 min read
British and Irish cuisine had a reputation for bland food such as dry roast meat with soft-boiled vegetables from the post-war era until the 1990s.
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.