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sport · Saturday 15 August 2026 · 7:45pm 
East Clare Paddlers Introductory Kayaking - Mountshannon
At Mountshannon Harbour · Mountshannon, Co. Clare
At Mountshannon Harbour · Mountshannon, Co. Clare
If you have never sat in a kayak before and want to find out what it is like, this free session on Lough Derg is a low-pressure way to try. East Clare Paddlers - a community club founded in 2019 and based across Scariff and Mountshannon - run introductory sessions on the lake through the summer, and this one-hour evening slot at Mountshannon Harbour is open to complete beginners. Equipment is provided on the water, so you do not need to own or borrow anything. The pace is relaxed rather than challenging, which makes it a good fit for adults who are curious about paddling but unsure whether it is for them.
The session runs from 7:45pm to 8:45pm at Mountshannon Harbour, putting you on the water as the evening light settles over Lough Derg - the third-largest lake in Ireland, sitting on the River Shannon between Clare, Tipperary and Galway. The harbour is calm and sheltered, and the club uses it regularly for both training and introductory work.
Kayaks, paddles and personal flotation devices (PFDs) are provided on the day. Instruction comes from club members and is geared specifically at people with no prior paddling experience, so there is no assumption that you know what you are doing. The session is run in partnership with Clare Sports Partnership, which organises community-level participation in sport across the county. If the intro session catches your interest, the club runs Level 1 kayaking courses for adults from April to August, and peer paddles for members once or twice a week through the summer months.
Mountshannon is a small lakeside village on the R352, roughly 30km south-east of Ennis and about 20km north of Killaloe. The quickest road route from Limerick is the N7 / M7 north, then across via Nenagh and the Ballina / Killaloe bridge into Clare, continuing north on the R463 and R352. From Galway, the N65 to Portumna and south on the R352 is the most direct. There is no scheduled bus service to Mountshannon, so a car or lift is needed. Parking is available at the harbour itself.
The harbour area is popular for swimming, boating and stand-up paddleboarding through the summer, and the village sits close to the Lough Derg Blueway walking and paddling trail. There is more to see in Mountshannon and across Co. Clare.
Heading to Mountshannon Harbour in Mountshannon? Clare has plenty more to see. Read the Mountshannon area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.