Later came the Vikings, and the Norman soldiers, battling up the river in their armored canoes. Ancient churches and cathedrals such as Clonmacnoise, just below Athlone, and the famous pre-Christian stones on Devenish and Lustybeg islands reveal the complex history of this island. It is remarkable to go ashore at one of the many small islands and discover stones that were carved there two or three or even five thousand years ago. Tall round towers are still standing from the days when the Vikings came up the river and threatened to destroy the work of the monks who found sanctuary on the island. Thomas Cahill, in How the Irish Saved Civilization , wrote of these brave monks saving their manuscripts from the invaders.
Most people cruise for about four or five hours a day.
Passing through the seven locks of the Ballynamore Canal, you ll discover it takes less than ten minutes per lock, using a simple canal credit card to operate the bankside controls. Navigating is easier than driving left on curvy roads. Nearly every boat has steering above and below decks. We actually saw an elderly woman walk off her boat near us at a lock, diving straight into the water, her expensive camera in hand. When we fished her out with the boat hook, she admitted that she moved a few inches to the right to get a better angle for a photograph, without looking down or holding on.