Shannonbridge - Industry

Industry

The main employers in Shannonbridge are the Electricity Supply Board's new generating station, Bord na Mona which harvests the peat used in the station from the surrounding area and Tourism. There is also a large farming community present. The nearby towns of Ballinasloe, county Galway and Athlone, County Westmeath serve as district centres for the village.

An Electricity Supply Board peat-fired power station with a capacity of 150 megawatts is located about a kilometre downriver. The peat is supplied from the Blackwater Bog peatlands, managed by Bord na Móna. The Clonmacnoise and West Offaly Railway (a narrow gauge railway) is principally used to transport the peat to the power station and also provides passenger tours of the peat lands for visitors.

Shannonbridge Potteries is located just outside the village and is well known locally. Their products have become demanded with sales around the globe. Their factory shop has a very extensive range of pottery and is open to the public. Both visitors and locals often visit the pottery shop and it also is situated close the Bog Rail Tour, the River Shannon and the ancient ruins of Clonmacnoise.

An increasing number of services are available including two shops, a post office, three pubs, an À la carte restaurant, a fast food restaurant Supermacs, and a butcher.