Shannon Harbour Village
Shannon Harbour is a quaint village located in the heart of Co.Offaly Ireland. 
This is a perfect setting for a weekend break. Our luxury bed and breakfast has been awarded three stars. The Harbour Masters House is nestles on the banks of the Grand Canal and holds a vast amount of history from when the canals were used as one of the only forms of commercial and passenger travel in Ireland. Today a quiet spot for fishing and romantic river side walks it was once a place were over 250,000 people travelled on passenger boats through the Grand Canal, many of whom were on the journey to Limerick or Cobh to emigrate to America and beyond.
Today many people are making the return voyage retracing their roots here to Ireland on short breaks from all over the world. Our bed and breakfast is located within easy traveling distance from all major airports within the Republic and only a few hours drive to Northern Ireland.
Grainne and Jim Kirwan your host have run The Harbour Masters House as a bed and breakfast since 2000 it has proven to be a perfect spot for all holiday makers as it offers great fishing both outside the front door and a few miles away with the River Shannon famous for its fly fishing with local fishing lakes full of carp and trout. Walking weekends and mid week breaks also are very popular.
For the business person looking for a quiet relaxing stop over, our bed and breakfast is in easy driving distance of Banagher, Birr, Tullamore, Portlaoise, Nenagh and the Shannon Region.
There are many hotels in Ireland but few offer the charm and welcome you will receive at our bed and breakfast. The history of our village is long and varied one. In one year in the 1840’s 300,000 tonnes of produce was transshipped in Shannon Harbour’s warehouse. The development of the Grand Canal commenced in 1756, the purpose of which was to link Dublin to the River Shannon. In 1804 the first water traffic passed through the canal at Shannon Harbour and on into the Shannon. The boats carried mainly Guinness, coal and grain down the country from Dublin. The Harbour Masters House was built in 1806 and the present owner is the daughter of the last Harbour Master. The village also has the ruins of a Royal Constabulary Barracks complete with holding cells, warehouses and a customs and excise post, a school, many taverns, a smithy, a livery, many cottages and a dockyard for the mending of boats. The Grand Canal Hotel is also found in ruin on the banks of the canal next to the Harbour Masters House. The hotel once provided shelter for the passengers that traveled along the canal. Over 1,000 people lived in Shannon Harbour at that time and today only 30 people reside in Shannon Harbour.
We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to stay at The Harbour Masters House bed and breakfast, Shannon Harbour Co, Offaly, Ireland.
Views of Guest House & Shannon Harbour
Stay in our beautiful rooms and enjoy the local atmosphere
