River Garavogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Garavogue |
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River Garavogue in the centre of Sligo Town
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| Native name | An Gharbhóg |
The River Garavogue (also known as An Gharbhóg in Irish) is a river found in County Sligo, in the northwest of Ireland. It was once known as the Sligeach or Sligo River.
What's in a Name? The Story of the Garavogue River's Name
The name Garavogue is not the river's first name. For many centuries, local people called it the Sligeach. This old name means "abounding in shells." The river gave its name to the town of Sligo, which grew up on its banks starting in the 1200s. Later, it also gave its name to the county. Records show this name has been used for over 1,500 years!
However, by the 1800s, the river from Lough Gill to the town of Sligo was commonly called the Garavogue.
The exact meaning of the name Garavogue is not fully known. It might come from the Irish word "garbh," which means "rough" or "gritty." In English, it was sometimes called the Githy. Another idea is that the Garavogue is named after a local "landscape goddess." This goddess was a hag or witch who supposedly built huge stone structures called megaliths by dropping stones. She was also said to live on a nearby hill with a king.
The Garavogue River's Journey
The Garavogue River starts at Lough Gill. From there, it flows through Sligo town. Finally, it empties into Sligo Bay. The part of the river before the ocean tides affect it is less than 2 miles (3.2 km) long. This makes it possibly the shortest important river in Ireland!
The river's wide mouth, called an estuary, continues for about 4 miles (6.4 km) out to Rosses Point. This estuary has a shipping channel. Large ships, up to 10,000 tons, can use this channel. However, they can only travel as far as Sligo town. Here, you can find a port where ships can dock. There is also a marina for smaller boats and pleasure crafts.
The entire river system, including Lough Gill and the River Bonnet, is 31.5 miles (50.7 km) long.
A Look Back: The History of the Garavogue River
The Garavogue River is mentioned in very old texts from the Early Medieval period. These texts describe it as one of the "nine royal rivers" of Ireland. It is even said that Saint Patrick blessed the river. He supposedly blessed it so that it would always have salmon for fishing.
An important event, the Battle of Sligo, happened at this river in 536 AD. In this battle, Eoghan Bél, who was the King of Connacht, fought against forces from two groups of the Uí Néill of Ulster.
