An affluent and picturesque country town, Portumna is situated by the shores of Lough Derg and the River Shannon, is a popular coarse fishing location with a rich history.
Portumna "the landing place of the oak tree" is a quiet, sleepy village in the lush countryside east of Galway . Situated at the confluence of Lough Derg and the River Shannon, Portumna is the perfect base for coarse fishing drawing anglers from all over Europe. Many varieties of fish can be found in these waters from perch, bream, trout, salmon and pike. Indeed one local fishy tale from 1796 tells of an enormous Pike being landed here that was reputed to weigh 92 pounds!
But the town's interests extend beyond those of angling, the Portumna Forest Park provides quiet wooded walks within 1,500 acres of the former estate of the Earl of Clanricarde who were descended from medieval founder of Portumna, the Anglo-Norman De Burgos (Burkes) who also founded Galway City . Within the grounds is Portumna Castle , built by Richard de Burgo in 1618; it is among the largest and finest semi-fortified Irish houses in the country.
Portumna's position on the banks of the Shannon have given it strategic importance during many of Ireland's military skirmishes and the famously bloody battle of Aughrim , the final encounter between the Williamite and Jacobite forces of Ireland, was fought near here.