Dowra is the first village on the River Shannon, which rises from the Cuilcagh mountains just 6 miles from Dowra at the Shannon Pot. Dowra village is on the borders of Cavan and Leitrim where the province of Ulster meets the province of Connacht.

The national waymarked routes, the Leitrim Way (Sli Liatroma) and the Cavan Way meet in Dowra. There's an Outdoor Pursuits Centre 3 miles away in Ballinaglera and anglers are well-catered for in a number of fishing centres nearby.