River Nore Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids River Nore
River Nore in the City of Kilkenny.
Map of the Nore's course
Native name	An Fheoir
State	Republic of Ireland
Region	Leinster
Counties	County Tipperary, County Laois, County Kilkenny, County Waterford
Physical characteristics
Main source	Devil's Bit Mountain County Tipperary
River mouth	River Barrow New Ross, County Wexford
Length	140 km (87 mi)
Basin features
River system	Three Sisters
Basin size	2,595 km² (1,002 sq mi)
Tributaries	Left: River Suir

The River Nore (called An Fheoir in Irish) is one of the main rivers in the South-East of Ireland. It flows for about 140-kilometre-long (87 mi). The river covers an area of about 2,530 square kilometres (977 sq mi) across parts of three counties: County Tipperary, County Laois, and County Kilkenny. The River Nore is part of a famous group of rivers known as the Three Sisters, along with the River Suir and River Barrow.

The Nore starts in the Devil's Bit Mountain in County Tipperary. It then flows mostly southeast and south. Finally, it joins the River Barrow near New Ross, County Wexford. This combined river then flows into the Celtic Sea at Waterford Harbour. The River Nore is special because it is home to the only known group of the very rare Nore freshwater pearl mussel. Because of this, much of the river is protected as a Special Area of Conservation.

What's in a Name? The River Nore's History
Where Does the River Nore Flow?
- Rivers Joining the Nore
The River Nore's Past: Industries and Mills
Fun Activities on the River Nore
- Fishing
- Kayaking and Boating
Images for kids
See also

What's in a Name? The River Nore's History

The River Nore is known as An Fheoir in the Irish language. This name has been around for a very long time! It was even mentioned in an old book called the Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee, which was written before the year 824. In that book, the river was called Eoire uarglaine, which means "the cold-pure Nore."

Later, around the 1400s, another old text talked about "The fair wide plain of the Feoir." The name Feoir is thought to come from an old Irish word, feora. This word means "green bank" or "the edge of a river."

Where Does the River Nore Flow?

Bridge over the Nore in Kilkenny

The River Nore begins its journey on the eastern side of the Devil's Bit Mountain in County Tipperary. From there, it flows southeast through County Laois and County Kilkenny. It eventually meets the River Barrow just north of New Ross.

Along its way, the river passes by or through several towns and villages:

Castletown
Durrow, County Laois (nearby)
Ballyragget
The city of Kilkenny
Bennettsbridge
Thomastown
Inistioge

Near Inistioge, the river flows through a beautiful V-shaped valley. This area is also where the river starts to be affected by the ocean's tides.

Rivers Joining the Nore

Many smaller rivers flow into the Nore, adding to its water. These are called tributaries. Some of the main ones include:

River Erkina
River Dinan
White Horse (also called Mountrath River)
Breagagh
King's River
Little Arrigle
Black Water

The River Nore's Past: Industries and Mills

River Nore at Thomastown in County Kilkenny

A long time ago, before the Great Famine in Ireland, the Nore Valley was a busy place. Many factories and mills used the river's power to run their machines. This was especially true in the 16-kilometer (10-mile) stretch between Kilkenny City and Thomastown.

These water-powered businesses included:

Breweries (making drinks)
Woolen mills (making cloth from wool)
Sawmills (cutting wood)
Marble works (shaping marble stone)
Distilleries (making spirits)
Grain mills (grinding grain for food)

Just north of Kilkenny City, people also grew Flax and made linen fabric. The river was a vital part of daily life and work for many communities.

Fun Activities on the River Nore

The River Nore is a great place for outdoor activities, especially fishing and kayaking.

Fishing

The Kilkenny fishing club has many areas along the River Nore and its tributary, the River Dinan, where people can fish. The river is popular with anglers (people who fish with a rod and line). You can find brown trout and salmon in its waters.

Kayaking and Boating

The river has several weirs (small dams) that are good for "playboating." This is a type of kayaking where paddlers do tricks and maneuvers in the water. The Nore is mostly flat and long, with weirs near many of the villages it flows through, making it interesting for kayakers.

In 2005 and 2006, a project to help with flood relief in Kilkenny City caused problems for salmon trying to swim upstream. The project initially didn't have proper ways for fish to pass. This was later fixed, and now salmon can swim freely up the river past Kilkenny City again.