River Fergus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids River Fergus
The river at Ennis
Native name	An Forghas
Physical characteristics
Main source	Lough Fergus, Clare 86 m (282 ft)
River mouth	Shannon Estuary at Ennis
Length	61 km (38 mi)
Basin features
Basin size	1,041 km2 (402 sq mi)

The River Fergus (called An Forghas in Irish) is a river in County Clare, Ireland. It's part of the larger Shannon River Basin. The river starts at Lough Fergus in northern Clare and flows into the Shannon Estuary.

The Fergus begins its journey at Lough Fergus, a lake in the area of Kilmore North. As it flows, other smaller streams join it. For example, the Clooneen River adds its water to the Fergus near a place called Knockroe. Interestingly, the Fergus even flows underground for about one kilometre in Cahermacon, close to Kilnaboy, before reappearing!

After its underground adventure, the river flows through Lough Inchiquin. Another stream from Loughnagowan then joins the Fergus. The river continues past the village of Corofin. After Corofin, it passes through several more lakes, including Lough Atedaun, Ballyteige Lough, Dromore Lake, and Ballyallia Lake.

The River Fergus then flows right through the town of Ennis. In Ennis, you can see it crossed by many bridges: six for roads, one for people walking, and one for trains. A small part of the river even splits off north of Ennis and then rejoins the main flow east of the town. Another stream, sometimes called the Inch River or Claureen River, also meets the Fergus in Ennis.

Finally, the river reaches the village of Clarecastle. This place used to be a busy port a long time ago. After Clarecastle, the river gets much wider, forming an estuary (where the river meets the sea) before joining the big Shannon Estuary.

Islands of the Fergus Estuary

The Fergus Estuary is home to several islands. These include Deer Island, Coney Island, Trummer Island, Inishmacowney, Canon Island, and Inishloe. Some of these islands were once places where people lived. There were even schools on Coney Island and Inishloe, showing that communities thrived there in the past.

What is the River Fergus known for?

The River Fergus is a great spot for fishing! It's especially famous for its trout and salmon. Many people enjoy trying to catch these fish in its waters.

In the past, the river's strong flow was used to power mills. For example, there was a flour mill at Clifden, near Corofin, right after the river leaves Lough Inchiquin. You can still see some of the old ruins of this mill today. Another water mill was located in Ennis, and its large mill wheel has been fixed up and restored, so you can see how it once worked.

The River Fergus moves a lot of water! On average, about 25.7 cubic metres of water flow through it every second. That's like filling about 10 large bathtubs every second!

Where does the name Fergus come from?

The name of the river, Fergus, has been written down in old Irish writings as Forgas and Forgus. One idea about where the name comes from is that it means "on" or "upon" (from the Old Irish word for-) and "twig" or "small branch" (from the word gas). This makes sense because the River Fergus can be seen as a smaller branch or twig flowing into the much larger River Shannon.

Towns and villages along the River Fergus

Several towns and villages are located along the banks of the River Fergus. These include:

• Corofin
• Ennis
• Clarecastle