Banagher

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Banagher (Beannchar na Sionna in Irish) is a town in Ireland, located in the midlands on the western edge of County Offaly in the province of Leinster, on the banks of the River Shannon. The name Banagher comes from its Irish name which translates to English as "the place of the pointed rocks on the Shannon". Banagher was a town of 3,000 people at the height of its economic growth in the mid-19th century. The current population is just over half of that figure, at about 1,600. Banagher held an important strategic position on the River Shannon and was one of the few crossing points between the provinces of Leinster and Connacht. It thus became a natural focus for many great historical buildings, including a 17th century Martello Tower and a number of important castles around the town, which were built in the 14th and 15th centuries. The town was once the focus of thriving river business and was an important stop on the Dublin to Limericknavigation. It supported a number of large industries, most notably a maltings and distillery, which are now defunct.