A LONG WALK ALONG THE SHANNON ON A REALLY WET DAY
FROM THE KEVIN HANNAN FOOTBRIDGE TO THE UL BOAT HOUSE [THE WEATHER WAS TERRIBLE]
I must confess, I began this walk slightly confused. I had tried my best to photograph every bridge but had, until that point, failed to locate the "Guinness Bridge". As it turns out, I walked across it without even knowing I had — a mystery I'll solve in a moment.
My walk was prompted by a brief gap in the weather. After checking the local forecast, which promised a three to four hour window of opportunity, I set off to explore the UL campus. The forecast proved far from accurate. By the time I reached my final destination, photography had become impossible. I simply could not keep the lens dry, and the poor visibility stopped the Fuji GFX100RF from performing at its best. Unfortunately, I had to abandon the session and get a bus back to the city centre.
Despite the weather, the walk itself is a fantastic route, and here is a brief guide to its key points.
The Riverside Walk
The route from the Kevin Hannan Footbridge to the University of Limerick (UL) Boat House is a popular and scenic riverside walk. A dedicated walkway and cycleway connects the two points, running along the bank of the River Shannon.
Distance: Approximately 1.7 km (about 1 mile).
Time: Roughly 20-25 minutes at an average walking pace.
Route: The path guides you from the canal bank at the footbridge to the UL Boat Club at Plassey, right on the edge of the university campus.
The Starting Point: The Kevin Hannan Footbridge
This is the bridge that had caused my initial confusion. It is officially dedicated to the memory of Mr. Kevin Hannan, a well-regarded Limerick local historian, author, and member of the Limerick Civic Trust. He wrote Limerick Historical Reflections and numerous articles for the Old Limerick Journal.
The footbridge was built in 1996 and opened in January 1997.
Its local nickname, and the source of my confusion, is the "Guinness Bridge". This name comes from the fact that the Guinness company provided a significant £25,000 contribution to the Limerick Civic Trust, which managed the bridge's construction.
The Destination: The UL Boat House
The walk concludes at the impressive UL Sport Boathouse. This major facility is located directly on the University of Limerick campus, situated adjacent to the River Shannon.
Its ownership is a fascinating example of a partnership rooted in the student body. The Boat House was originally built using student funding, after the UL student body voted in 2003 to extend a student levy specifically to pay for it. The facility opened in 2009 and is now operated under a management agreement between the University (UL), UL Sport (the university's sports department), and UL Student Life (the students' union). This agreement skilfully integrates the facility's operations into UL Sport while formally recognising the rights of the student clubs it was built to house.
I must confess, I began this walk slightly confused. I had tried my best to photograph every bridge but had, until that point, failed to locate the "Guinness Bridge". As it turns out, I walked across it without even knowing I had — a mystery I'll solve in a moment.
My walk was prompted by a brief gap in the weather. After checking the local forecast, which promised a three to four hour window of opportunity, I set off to explore the UL campus. The forecast proved far from accurate. By the time I reached my final destination, photography had become impossible. I simply could not keep the lens dry, and the poor visibility stopped the Fuji GFX100RF from performing at its best. Unfortunately, I had to abandon the session and get a bus back to the city centre.
Despite the weather, the walk itself is a fantastic route, and here is a brief guide to its key points.
The Riverside Walk
The route from the Kevin Hannan Footbridge to the University of Limerick (UL) Boat House is a popular and scenic riverside walk. A dedicated walkway and cycleway connects the two points, running along the bank of the River Shannon.
Distance: Approximately 1.7 km (about 1 mile).
Time: Roughly 20-25 minutes at an average walking pace.
Route: The path guides you from the canal bank at the footbridge to the UL Boat Club at Plassey, right on the edge of the university campus.
The Starting Point: The Kevin Hannan Footbridge
This is the bridge that had caused my initial confusion. It is officially dedicated to the memory of Mr. Kevin Hannan, a well-regarded Limerick local historian, author, and member of the Limerick Civic Trust. He wrote Limerick Historical Reflections and numerous articles for the Old Limerick Journal.
The footbridge was built in 1996 and opened in January 1997.
Its local nickname, and the source of my confusion, is the "Guinness Bridge". This name comes from the fact that the Guinness company provided a significant £25,000 contribution to the Limerick Civic Trust, which managed the bridge's construction.
The Destination: The UL Boat House
The walk concludes at the impressive UL Sport Boathouse. This major facility is located directly on the University of Limerick campus, situated adjacent to the River Shannon.
Its ownership is a fascinating example of a partnership rooted in the student body. The Boat House was originally built using student funding, after the UL student body voted in 2003 to extend a student levy specifically to pay for it. The facility opened in 2009 and is now operated under a management agreement between the University (UL), UL Sport (the university's sports department), and UL Student Life (the students' union). This agreement skilfully integrates the facility's operations into UL Sport while formally recognising the rights of the student clubs it was built to house.
THE SHANNON WALK