Aiveen Cooper tells us of her aim to pass onto us “what I found interesting myself, but I hope that it is of interest to you too. At the very least, I hope you gain some sense of the importance of ‘Shannonland’ and feel the urge to visit this magnificent river and experience it for yourself.” This book documents the river from its source to the sea, on trips made by the author during the Autumn of 2009 and the Spring and Summer of 2010.

It forms an addition to those books we already own about the Shannon, written by someone with eclectic interests. On her journey she discovers and documents the plant life, animal life, mythology, history, archaeology, industrial heritage, poetry, ecology, name derivations, transportation, towns and villages, power plants, farming and tourism of the 18,000 sq km Shannon River Basin District.

If you are a boater with an interest in our heritage, you may be familiar with some of the people and places mentioned. There are also some lovely photographs and sketches, especially those of the barge Nieuwe Zorgen, on which the author sailed during most of her journey.

Read it on a rainy day when you are wishing for summer days on the river and then store the book on board, so it’s handy when next you visit Shannonland.

Available from the IWAI Shop