Banagher (Beannchar na Sionna in Irish) is a town in the Republic of Ireland, located on the western edge of County Offaly in the midlands of Ireland. The name Banagher comes from its Irish name which translates to English as 'the place of the pointed rocks on the Shannon.
Banagher was once 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, and so 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. A modern marina provides support for river cruisers and watersports facilities and the town is an important angling centre, with particular attraction for pike anglers
Banagher was extensively planted by the English, particularly during the periods 1621-1642 and 1650-1690. The Plantations had a profound impact on Ireland in several ways. The first was the destruction of the native ruling classes and their replacement with the Protestant Ascendancy, of British-origin (mostly English) Protestant landowners. Their position was buttressed by the Penal Laws, which denied political and land-owning rights to Catholics. The dominance of this class in Irish life persisted until the late 18th century, and it voted for the Act of Union with Britain in 1800. As a result, by the early 20th century, Banagher had a mix of Irish of native descent and Irish of English descent and supported two churches, one Catholic and one Protestant, both of which still exist.
During the late 1960s to the early 1980s, a mumber of German, Dutch and Swiss settlers were attracted to Banagher, mailnly because of its proximity to the River Shannon and associated lifestyle. A number of these are still resident in Banagher. As with the majority of towns and cities in Ireland, Banagher has seen an influx of foreign nationals, mostly of Eastern European origin, in recent years and these now make up just over 10% of the population.
According to the 2006 Census, Banagher has a population of 1,636 with 863 male and 800 female residents. This marks a 5.3% increase in population on the 2002 Census.
