Islands of Ireland: A bluish and Greenish island

The precise extent of the Shannon Estuary even found its way to court

Greenish Island on the River Shannon near Askeaton, Co Limerick. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

The question of exactly where an estuary starts and a river begins is open to interpretation. The River Ilen at Skibbereen, Co Cork is considered to have reached its geographical end at Inishleigh near Turk Head where it can be said the estuary starts.

The case of the mighty River Shannon and its estuary has concentrated the minds of various geographers, cartographers and legal minds over the years. The matter even found its way to court in Limerick City in 1863 when the Fishery Commission attempted to define its precise location in order to better declare its orders over its valuable salmon fisheries.