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The river Erne rises on the southern slopes of Slieve Glah (319m) in County Cavan and flows through Lough Gowna in County Longford, Lough Oughter in County Cavan, Belturbet and into Upper Lough Erne, County Fermanagh. Sheltered by the Cuilcagh Mountains (667m), where the river Shannon rises, the river empties into Lower Lough Erne en route to Donegal Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

In the 6th century mobility on water was much easier than on land and the Erne provided access to Gaelic Ulster. A chain of island monasteries in both Upper and Lower Lough Erne e.g. Inishkeen, Lisgoole, Devenish and Inishmacsaint provided important ports of call on one of Early Christian Ireland's major highways.

The first Viking raids on Ireland occurred at the close of the 8th century. Although the chief effort may have been directed at the seizure of lands for settlement, monasteries throughout Ireland were raided. Plundered treasures were lost to Ireland but some, hidden for safety, have since been recovered.

A shrine found in 1891, by fishermen off Tully, Lower Lough Erne, may have enclosed a precious relic. It is a house-shaped, yew wood shrine with a bronze covering. It probably dates from the 8th century and may have belonged to one of the island or lough-shore monasteries.

It is interesting to note that a little earlier, in 1868, the finest piece of Irish metalwork of the 8th century was found, with other church treasures, at Ardagh in County Limerick - the Ardagh Chalice had been restored to Ireland.

The narrows between Upper and Lower Lough Erne provided a safe fording point. Control at this point ensured control of the Erne.

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