River Mahon facts for kids
The River Mahon (called an Mhachain in Irish) is a river in Ireland. It starts high up in the Comeragh Mountains in County Waterford and flows all the way to the sea.
The River Mahon's Journey
The River Mahon begins its trip by tumbling down the amazing 80-meter (262-foot) Mahon Falls. After this big drop, it flows past a special Hawthorn "Fairy Tree," where people sometimes tie colorful ribbons.
The river then continues through the village of Mahon Bridge. It goes past Flahavan's Mill and under a large, 8-arched railway bridge in Kilmacthomas. Another river, called the Ách Mór, joins the Mahon at Ballylaneen. Finally, the River Mahon finishes its journey about three miles (5 km) further downstream at Bunmahon. Here, it flows into the Celtic Sea, which is part of the huge Atlantic Ocean.
Old Mills Along the River
A long time ago, before electricity was common, rivers like the Mahon were very important. The strong flow of the River Mahon was used to power five different mills. These mills helped to grind grain or do other work. One mill was located at Mahon Bridge, three were in Kilmacthomas, and another was at Ballylaneen.
Fun on the River: Kayaking
The River Mahon is a popular spot for whitewater kayaking. This is an exciting sport where people paddle small boats called kayaks down fast-moving rivers.
While no one has ever paddled the entire river from its very start to the sea, a team of kayakers did paddle from Mahon Bridge all the way to the sea at Bunmahon in August 2012.
A very brave kayaker named Michael Reynolds from Tramore, County Waterford, did something amazing on October 21, 2005. He was the only person known to have ever kayaked down the huge 55-foot (17-meter) vertical drop at the very top of Mahon Falls!
