Shannon, principal river of the Republic of Ireland and longest (c.240 mi/390 km) in the British Isles. It rises near Cuilcagh Mt., NW Co. Cavan, and flows S through the Central Plain into Co. Limerick, where it turns west in a broad estuary (c.70 mi/110 km) to the Atlantic Ocean between Loop Head and Kerry Head. Loughs Allen, Boderg, Ree, and Dreg are expansions of the river. The Shannon with its many tributaries drains a region of farmland and peat bogs. Towns along the Shannon include Carrick-on-Shannon, Athlone, and Limerick. The river is connected with E Ireland by the Royal Canal and the Grand Canal; large vessels, however, cannot ascend the river above Foynes. Limerick is the head of estuary navigation. An important hydroelectric plant was built between Lough Derg and Limerick. The fisheries of the river are valuable. Shannon Airport Industrial Estate (opened 1945), a duty-free international terminal on the river, 15 mi (24 km) W of Limerick, has been developed by the government into an industrial center.

Shannon
Gender:	Male & Female
Origin:	Irish
Meaning:	wise river

The name Shannon originated in Ireland and is directly linked to the country's longest river. Shannon is now used as a first name for both males and females. The name of the river is a combination of Irish sean "old, wise" and abhainn "river".

Shannon can also be a short form of 'Shanahan', a variant of the Irish masculine name Seanán, which means "little wise person" or "small but wise".

Shannon can refer to the following:

Shannon

People

Surname

• Bob Shannon, wrote first bulletin board system (BBS) for the Commodore VIC-20
• Bob Shannon (WCBS-FM), radio personality
• Claude Elwood Shannon, information theorist
• Darryl Shannon, former NHL player
• David Shannon, author
• Del Shannon, rock singer/songwriter
• Frederick A. Shannon, herpetologist
• James Shannon, Democratic politician from Massachusetts
• James Jebusa Shannon, Anglo-American painter
• Mike Shannon, former American baseball player, sportscaster
• Molly Shannon, actress on Saturday Night Live
• Paul Shannon, television presenter
• Peter Shannon, christian singer, composer, musician
• Randy Shannon, football coach of the University of Miami Hurricanes
• Scott Shannon, radio personality
• Sharon Shannon, Irish musician
• T. Sean Shannon, comedy writer
• Terry Shannon, computer technology journalist
• Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
• William V. Shannon, former editor of the New York Times

First name

• Shannon (singer), real name Brenda Shannon Greene
• Marty Wilde, pseudonym "Shannon", real name Reginald Leonard Smith
• Shannon Bramer, Canadian poet
• Shannon Burke, GSA Sotball MVP, world-famous innovative environmentalist, and golfer.
• Shannen Doherty, American actress
• Shannon Elizabeth, American actress
• Shannon Hale, an author known for young-adult fiction
• Shannon Hoon, lead singer of the band Blind Melon
• Shannon Larkin, drummer of the American Godsmack
• Shannon Leto, drummer of 30 Seconds to Mars
• Shannon Lively, teenage actor.
• Shannon Martinson, Famous Skywarn storm spotter, North Dakota Choir and FBLA Member
• Shannon Matthews, the child concerned in the Disappearance of Shannon Matthews
• Shannon Miller, American Olympic gymnast
• Shannon Moore, professional wrestler
• Shannon Noll, Australian rock singer
• Shannon Rempel, Canadian speed skater
• Shannon Rutherford, fictional character on the ABC drama television series Lost.
• Shannon Sharpe, anAmerican football player
• Shannon Spruill, a professional wrestler who has performed as "Shannon"
• Shannon Stewart (baseball player)
• Shannon Stewart (model), runner-up on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 1
• Shannon Stewart (Playmate), Playboy model
• Shannon Lee Tweed, actress
• Shannon Bex, member of American girl group Danity Kane

Entertainment

• Shannon (1960s TV series), a short-lived 1960s American television series
• Shannon (1980s TV series), a short-lived 1980s American television series starring Kevin Dobson
• Shannon, a song released in 1976 by Henry Gross about Beach Boy Carl Wilson's deceased dog
• Shannon's Mob, a 1970s Australian television series

Other

• HMS Shannon, several naval ships
• Shannon Development, a development company in Ireland
• Shannon (Formula One), a defunct Formula One constructor
• Shannon RFC, rugby club in Limerick
• Shannon index of biodiversity
• Shannon's Way, a novel by Scottish author A. J. Cronin
• The bit, a unit of information, is also known as a shannon after Claude E. Shannon.

References