On Lough Derg with Derg Lake Tours
On Lough Derg with Derg Lake Tours
TL;DR
Trident guests staying at Old Court Holiday Homes in Terryglass can receive 20% off the Lough Derg Explorer and 15% off self-drive boat hire with Derg Lake Tours. The self-drive discount currently applies to bookings of at least €120. Booking details are provided after the accommodation is confirmed.
Some parts of Lough Derg are easy to miss from the road. From the water, its islands, wooded shoreline and small harbours come into view. Trident Holiday Homes has partnered with Derg Lake Tours, a local company offering guided RIB trips and self-drive boat hire. The company also arranges trips and transfers between villages around the lake.
Guests can leave the navigation to a local skipper or hire a boat to drive themselves.
Both offer a closer look at the landscape around Terryglass, Killaloe and the wider Lough Derg region.
Guided trips on Lough Derg
On a guided RIB trip, the skipper looks after the boat and navigation. Passengers have more time to watch the shoreline, look for birds and enjoy being out on the lake.
Derg Lake Tours offers one-hour trips and longer experiences for groups of up to ten people. Some trips remain on the water. Others may include a visit to another harbour or a lunch stop.
Routes and stops depend on the experience arranged. If there is somewhere you would particularly like to see, discuss it with Derg Lake Tours before booking.
Self-drive boat hire in Terryglass
Self-drive boats can be hired from Terryglass Harbour for periods ranging from 1.5 hours to a full day.
A shorter hire gives visitors time to explore the local waters. A full-day booking allows more time for travelling around the lake, subject to the permitted cruising area and weather conditions.
Derg Lake Tours provides operating and safety guidance before departure. Guests should also confirm the area they can cover and what happens if the weather changes.
There is no need to plan a long route. Time on the water is often enough.
Beginning your trip in Terryglass
Terryglass is the base for Derg Lake Tours’ self-drive hire and a departure point for guided experiences.
The harbour has picnic and BBQ facilities, toilets, showers and a playground. Terryglass village is a short walk away, with places to eat before or after a trip.
The village also has an important place in Ireland’s medieval history. Áed Úa Crimthainn, abbot of Terryglass, is associated with the twelfth-century Book of Leinster.
The manuscript contains Irish sagas, genealogies, medical knowledge and place-name lore. It also preserves an important version of the Táin Bó Cúailnge. Our holiday homes in Terryglass on Lough Derg are within walking distance of the village and harbour. Guests can leave the car at the house and begin their day locally.
Guests staying at Old Court can use the Derg Lake Tours savings outlined above. Full conditions are available on the offer page. View the Derg Lake Tours offer for Old Court guests
A lake shaped by ice and time
Lough Derg is the largest lake on the River Shannon. Its landscape changes considerably from north to south.
In the northern part of the lake, glacial deposits formed islands, wooded headlands, shallow waters and hidden shoals.
Further south, the water becomes deeper. The Arra Mountains rise to the east, while Slieve Bernagh stands to the west.
The route taken by Derg Lake Tours will determine which parts of this landscape you see.
One of the lake’s most important historical sites is Inis Cealtra, also known as Holy Island. It contains a round tower, the ruins of six churches and burial slabs dating to the eighth century.
Pilgrims once travelled to the island by boat along the River Shannon. Going ashore today requires a separate boat service from Mountshannon. A Derg Lake Tours
booking should not be assumed to include a landing on the island, so check the planned route in advance.
Wildlife on Lough Derg
Lough Derg is designated as a Special Protection Area. Its protected birdlife includes cormorants, tufted ducks, goldeneye and common terns.
White-tailed eagles are also part of the lake’s conservation story. In 2013, a pair at Mountshannon raised and fledged chicks in the wild. It was the first recorded success of its kind in Ireland for more than a century.
Sightings depend on the season, weather and luck. The lake does not perform to order. That is part of the pleasure of watching it.
Around Killaloe and the southern lake
Derg Lake Tours also arranges trips and transfers involving Killaloe. Killaloe stands in County Clare, with Ballina facing it across the Shannon in County Tipperary. Here, Lough Derg narrows and becomes a river once more.
Nearby Béal Ború overlooks the water. The ringfort has long been associated with Brian Ború, whose headquarters at Kincora stood close to present-day Killaloe.
Further along the Shannon stands Ardnacrusha. Constructed between 1925 and 1929, the hydroelectric power station played an important part in bringing electricity to the new Irish State. Our holiday homes in Killaloe on Lough Derg are approximately 1km from the town. Guests can follow a lakeside path and boardwalk towards the town.
It is a good location for exploring Killaloe and Ballina, as well as the southern end of Lough Derg.
Before booking a boat trip
Confirm the departure point, duration and planned route before booking. Ask whether any harbour or lunch stops are included.
Weather can affect activities on the lake, so check the operator’s cancellation or rescheduling arrangements.
Families should also ask about age requirements. Anyone with reduced mobility should speak to Derg Lake Tours about access and suitability before booking.
A guided trip is the simpler option for visitors who want the skipper to manage the journey. Self-drive hire offers more independence, along with responsibility for operating the boat.
Stay close to Lough Derg
Old Court Holiday Homes place guests wit
A local view of Lough Derg
We asked Cormac from Derg Lake Tours what first-time visitors can expect, which parts of the lake he most enjoys showing guests and what is worth knowing before setting out from Terryglass.
One of the first things visitors notice is just how peaceful and open Lough Derg feels. Within minutes of leaving Terryglass Harbour, you’re surrounded by open water, wooded shoreline and fantastic views across the lake.
The northern end of Lough Derg is hard to beat. The stretch around Terryglass, Portumna and the surrounding bays and islands combines beautiful scenery, local history and quieter parts of the lake that many visitors never normally get to see.
A 90-minute hire is perfect for getting out on the water and exploring around Terryglass at your own pace. With a half-day, you can travel much further across Lough Derg and even stop at one of the lake’s waterside villages for lunch or refreshments at a lakeside restaurant before continuing your trip.
A self-drive boat is about slowing down and exploring independently. A guided RIB trip lets you cover much more of Lough Derg, while hearing local stories, history and insights from someone who knows the lake.
Lough Derg has fantastic birdlife throughout the year. Depending on the season, visitors may see swans, herons, cormorants, ducks, birds of prey and other wildlife around the shoreline and islands.
No previous boating experience is needed for our self-drive boats. We provide a full safety briefing, show you how to operate the boat and provide lifejackets. We’ll also advise you on the best places to explore based on the conditions that day.
What surprises many visitors is just how much history surrounds Lough Derg. From ancient monastic sites and old estates to stories of trade, travel and communities that have lived around the lake for generations, there’s much more to Lough Derg than the scenery alone.
A calm, bright day is always special, particularly in the morning or evening when the lake can be incredibly peaceful. Lough Derg changes with the weather, though, and every trip offers a different perspective on the lake.
Stay close to Lough Derg
Old Court Holiday Homes place guests within walking distance of Terryglass village, the harbour and the Derg Lake Tours departure point. Guests staying here can also use the partnership savings.
Lakeside Holiday Homes are well placed for exploring Killaloe, Ballina and the southern end of the lake.
Staying for a few days gives you time for the boat trip, the villages and an unhurried evening beside the water.
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