Portumna is a picturesque market town located in the south-east of Co Galway, on the border with Co Tipperary. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg. This has been the historic crossing point over the River Shannon for centuries and so boasts a long history of bridges and marine navigation.

The wealth of history in Portumna extends beyond the lough and river. The town is home to the Irish Workhouse Centre, a regional heritage and arts centre dedicated to telling the story of the workhouse system and famine era. The town is also home to Portumna Castle, an early seventeenth century semi-fortified house; and to Portumna Priory, a thirteenth century Cistercian chapel taken over by the Dominicans c 200 years later.

Today, Portumna is a tourist destination for boaters, golfers, and anglers. It boasts excellent shops, bars, restaurants and cafes, as well as a wealth of excellent accommodation.

Being at the junction of the River Shannon and Lough Derg, means that there are a number of harbours – two of which are on the Portumna side of the river – from which to explore the town and the wider region.