Carrick-on-Shannon
Population: 4,743 (2022 Census)
Carrick-on-Shannon is a successful town in County Leitrim with an approximate population of 4,441 per census 2022. Situated on the East bank of the River Shannon at a point where it narrows considerably, Carrick-on-Shannon has been a strategically important crossing point since the early 17th Century. The Town is connected to the Sligo and Dublin via rail and via the N4 National Route. Main Street & Bridge Street form the town’s backbone with river frontage also an important defining feature. Many of the town’s most important buildings concentrated along the principal streets of Main Street, St George’s Terrace and Bridge Street are heritage assets.
Plans & Publications
Carrick-on-Shannon is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and unspoilt scenery in Ireland. It is the gateway to the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Lough Key, Acres Lake and Lough Allen and is only a short distance away from the spectacular Glens of North Leitrim.
For much of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Carrick-on-Shannon was a major depot for river trade. However, with trading patterns modernised, the river is now the town’s principal environmental and leisure asset and supports a thriving tourism industry. Carrick-on-Shannon is a hugely popular visitor destination with a vibrant tourism offering. The town recently secured Purple Flag status for the eighth consecutive year. This accolade is awarded to town centres that meet or surpass the standards of excellence in managing the evening and night-time economy. The town’s Market Yard in the heart of the town centre supports a vibrant covered weekly farmer’s market, the annual Carrick Carnival and Regatta, as well as the great variety of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars across the town centre support this most important economic sector for the town.
This Town Centre First Plan has been led by the local community and stakeholders who have come together to help shape and implement the plan. The plan is driven by a Town Team, supported by the Town Regeneration Officer and a multi-disciplinary technical team in Leitrim County Council. The Carrick-on-Shannon Town Team was initially established in 2014, and has led on many initiatives, with the support of Leitrim County Council, including Purple Flag Award, The Market Yard project and the public realm investment. It has since evolved to include a number of stakeholders representing a range of groups in the town, including the Chamber of Commerce, Business owners , Tourism, Tidy Towns Community Group, Cultural and arts groups, Sports and leisure groups, Heritage groups and An Garda Siochana.
The four key themes of the Town Centre First Plan identified by the community are: Supporting town centre vitality, Improving environmental quality, Strengthening community, identity, heritage & culture and Improving access and movement.
Find out more about Carrick-on-Shannon’s Town Centre First Plan here