Ballina (historically Bellanaha), from Irish: Béal an Átha, meaning 'mouth of the ford',[2] is a census town that lies on the River Shannon in County Tipperary, Ireland.

[citation needed] Ballina was, along with Killaloe on the other bank, an important stopping point for barges traveling up the River Shannon.

Having been replaced by new lines which linked Limerick directly to Dublin and falling into disrepair, the railway tracks were removed in the 1950s.

[citation needed] In December 2006, North Tipperary County Council sought tenders for a 'design and build' contract for a new crossing on the Shannon.

[7] A "sod turning" ceremony was held in late 2022,[8] at which point the projected completion date was updated to 2024.

[9] Identified as a "service town" in the North Tipperary County Development Plan 2010–2016,[3] Ballina saw "record" population growth in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.