River Rye (Ireland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rye |
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Where the Rye (right) meets the Liffey (centre to left), near the Boathouse of Leixlip Castle.
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| Country | Ireland |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Agher Cross, County Meath ~122 m (400 ft) |
| River mouth | Irish Sea at Dublin Bay via River Liffey |
| Length | ~30.5 km (19.0 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | River Liffey |
| Basin size | 59.7 km2 (23.1 sq mi) |
| Tributaries |
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The River Rye or Ryewater (Irish: Abhainn na Rí) is a cool river in Ireland. It's a smaller river that flows into the bigger River Liffey. The Rye starts in County Meath and travels about 19 miles (30.5 km) towards the sea. Even though people have worked on the river to help it flow better, it usually moves quickly over a rocky bottom. The main river that joins the Rye is called the Lyreen.
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The River Rye: A Journey Through Ireland
The River Rye flows past many interesting places. It runs north of towns like Kilcock and Maynooth. Did you know that Maynooth Castle is built right between the Lyreen and another small river called the Joan Slade River?
Where Does the Rye Flow?
The Lyreen and Rye rivers meet east of Maynooth. Then, they flow together through the beautiful grounds of Carton House. Here, the river was made wider to create a lovely lake. This lake is part of the old Georgian parklands. There's even a pretty bridge and a boathouse to make it look even nicer!
The river then flows behind the Intel Ireland campus. Intel has been checking the water quality here since 1989 to make sure it stays clean.
Near Louisa Bridge in Leixlip, water from the Leixlip Spa flows into the Rye River. There's also water that overflows from the nearby canal. The Rye then goes under the Royal Canal. This canal is carried high above the Rye on a special bridge called the Leixlip aqueduct. It's almost 100 feet (30 meters) high! This huge earth bridge took six years to build back in the 1790s.
The Rye's History in Leixlip
After passing under the aqueduct, the Rye flows right into the middle of Leixlip. In the past, people used the river's power to run mills. In 1758, a linen printing mill was here. Later, a whiskey factory called the Rye Vale distillery was built. In 1837, it made over 20,000 gallons of whiskey each year! The distillery closed in the 1890s. Today, the old distillery building has been turned into apartments.
Finally, the Rye flows under the Rye Bridge. Then, it joins the River Liffey near the old Boathouse of Leixlip demesne.
Fishing in the River
The River Rye is a good spot for fishing! You can find brown trout and pike here. There are several places where you can go fishing. One part of the river belongs to Intel and is looked after by the Leixlip and District Angling Association. There's also an open section near Leixlip and another spot at Carton House.
Images for kids
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Rye Water near the Royal Canal aqueduct
