Ballyleague is a small village on the eastern shore of Lough Ree, directly across the Shannon from Lanesborough in County Longford. The two villages are joined by a bridge; they function as one place split by a county border.
For seventy years, the area was shaped by the Lough Ree power station—a peat-fired ESB facility that loomed over both villages and employed hundreds. The power station closed in 2020 after decades of decline. It stood for over seventy years; it is now being demolished, and the site is planned for a battery energy storage facility.
What remains is the lough. Ballyleague is a water village—the Shannon navigation passes through it, the lough stretches south, and fishing is a consistent draw. The bridge to Lanesborough is the main crossing point on this stretch of the river.
The reason to come back. The things every local will eventually tell you about, usually after the second pint.
From Roscommon town, head east toward Athlone, then south to Ballyleague. About 50 km total. The bridge to Lanesborough is the main landmark.
No direct service to Ballyleague itself, but Lanesborough (across the bridge) has bus routes to Longford and Dublin.