Hire a boat

You can hire a self-drive cruiser or barge on the Shannon, the Erne and the canals without a licence or any experience. The company shows you how the boat works and takes you out for a practice run before you leave. Below is who we found trading for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, how to pick a starting point, and the small print worth reading.

Who hires boats (checked October 2026)

The full list, with each company's bases on the map, is on the hire page. We leave out operators whose own website we could not reach, until we have checked them.

Choosing a base

• Carrick-on-Shannon has two hire companies and the widest choice of boats, with the lively Upper Shannon, Lough Key and the Shannon–Erne Waterway within a few days. It is on the Dublin–Sligo railway line.
• Portumna sits at the top of Lough Derg, with the lake's harbour villages a short hop away. Banagher is on the quieter Middle Shannon, between Lough Derg and the monastic site at Clonmacnoise.
• Glasson puts you straight onto Lough Ree.
• Bellanaleck and Killadeas start you on Lough Erne in Co. Fermanagh, with its islands, castles and long lake days.
• Vicarstown is the base for the Barrow and the southern Grand Canal: narrowboats and barges, hand-worked locks and a lively river.

One-way trips are possible with some companies: Carrickcraft offers Carrick to Banagher and Bellanaleck to Carrick, and Emerald Star offers Portumna to Carrick-on-Shannon (and back). They save you the return leg; ask about any one-way charge.

Seasons and lengths

Most companies hire from March or April to October (Emerald Star, Carrickcraft); Barrowline also hires outside its main season on request (rates). Short breaks start at two or three nights, and a week is the classic trip: enough to reach Lough Derg from Banagher, or to do a loop from Carrick through Lough Key. July and August are busiest; May, June and September are quieter, with long evenings.

Read the contract before you book

The rules differ between companies, and they matter more than the brochure. These are the points we found in the hire terms (Emerald Star, Carrickcraft, Silverline, Manor House Marine):

• No cruising after dark. Every contract we read forbids it. Emerald Star counts darkness from sunset to sunrise.
• Where you may go. Carrickcraft and Silverline boats may not go below Killaloe. Carrickcraft also excludes the Grand Canal (unless agreed), the Barrow and the Rinn River. Manor House Marine wants to be asked before you enter the Shannon–Erne Waterway or the Shannon. Some Emerald Star boats cannot use the Lough Allen Canal.
• Who may skipper. Carrickcraft wants two adults over 18 on board; Manor House Marine hires only to people aged 21 or over.
• Fuel. You set off with a full tank and pay for what you use: Emerald Star charges by engine hours, others refill the tank when you return. Carrickcraft puts a typical week at €150 to €300 (FAQ).
• Deposits and insurance. Expect a refundable security deposit (several hundred to well over a thousand euro or pounds), often reducible with a non-refundable waiver.
• Pets. Emerald Star allows up to two for a fee, Carrickcraft allows them on most boats, Silverline does not allow them, and Manor House Marine allows them on some boats with permission.
• Bad weather. Companies may close lakes or stretches to hire boats when conditions are poor. Their instruction overrides any plan, including ours.

What the hire usually includes

Bedding, a kitchen, heating and lifejackets for everyone are usually standard. Ask whether a dinghy, bicycles, transfers from Dublin or Shannon airport, a TV or Wi-Fi are included or extra. Lock passage on the Shannon costs a small fee paid on the spot, and showers, pump-outs and shore power at public harbours use a Smart Card, which many hire bases sell (Waterways Ireland). Most public harbours charge nothing for mooring within the time limits (Carrickcraft), though a few places do.

Getting there

Most visitors fly into Dublin or Shannon. Carrick-on-Shannon has a train station; the other bases are easiest by car, bus and taxi, and several companies arrange transfers. If your trip reaches the Erne you will be in Northern Ireland: most visitors who are not Irish or British need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), even if you arrive by boat or road (GOV.UK).

Ready to plan? Try the trip planner and the itineraries from each base.