River Suir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Suir |
|
|---|---|
River Suir at Holycross, Tipperary
|
|
Map of the Three Sisters, including the Suir
|
|
| Native name | Abhainn na Siúire |
| Country | Ireland |
| Counties | Tipperary, Waterford |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Devil's Bit Mountain Templemore, County Tipperary 480 m (1,570 ft) 52°49′16″N 7°54′50″W / 52.821°N 7.914°W |
| River mouth | Waterford Harbour Waterford 52°07′N 6°34′W / 52.11°N 6.56°W |
| Length | 185 km (115 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 1,394 sq mi (3,610 km2) |
The River Suir (called An tSiúr or Abhainn na Siúire in Irish) is a long river in Ireland. It flows for about 185 kilometers (115 miles) before reaching the Atlantic Ocean near Waterford. The area of land that drains into the Suir is about 3,610 square kilometers.
On average, the Suir carries about 76.9 cubic meters of water every second. This is a lot more water than the River Barrow or the River Nore carry on their own before they meet.
Contents
What Fish Live in the River Suir?
The River Suir is a favorite spot for people who love to fish. It has many brown trout. The river also holds a special record for the biggest salmon ever caught in an Irish river. This huge salmon weighed 26 kilograms (57 pounds) and was caught with a fishing fly way back in 1874! However, like in many other rivers, the number of salmon has been going down in recent years.
Where Does the River Suir Flow?
The Suir starts high up on the side of Devil's Bit Mountain in County Tipperary, just north of Templemore. From there, it flows south through towns like Loughmore, Thurles, Holycross, Golden, and Knockgraffon.
As it continues, the Suir meets other rivers, like the Aherlow River and the River Tar. Then, it turns east near the Comeragh Mountains. Here, it forms the border between County Waterford and County Tipperary. The river then passes through Cahir, Clonmel, and Carrick-on-Suir before reaching the city of Waterford.
Near the Port of Waterford, the Suir joins the River Barrow at Cheekpoint. Together, they form a wide estuary called Waterford Harbour. An estuary is where a river meets the sea. This estuary is deep enough for large ships, up to 32,000 tons, to sail in. The river finally flows out to the sea between Dunmore East and Hook Head.
The Three Sisters Rivers
The River Suir is one of three famous rivers in Ireland known as The Three Sisters. The other two rivers are the River Nore and the River Barrow. They are called "sisters" because they flow close to each other and eventually meet before flowing into the sea.
What Does the Name "Suir" Mean?
In the Irish language, the river is called An tSiúr. Some people think that the English spelling "Suir" might have been a mistake, with the 'u' and 'i' letters swapped around. They believe the spelling should be "Siur."
A famous writer named Edmund Spenser (who lived from 1552 to 1599) wrote about the "gentle Shure" in his book The Faerie Queene. This spelling was probably how the name sounded back then.
Viking Discoveries Along the Suir
In the early 2000s, something very exciting was found along a bend in the river at Woodstown, just upstream from Waterford. Archaeologists discovered the remains of a very large Viking settlement! This shows that Vikings lived and traded along the River Suir a long time ago.
How the River Suir is Protected from Flooding
The River Suir can sometimes flood areas like Clonmel after a lot of rain falls upstream. To help with this, the Office of Public Works (OPW) created a special system to predict floods. This system helps warn people when flooding might happen.
In Clonmel, there is a big project to build flood defenses. These defenses include special barriers that can be put up, walls, and earth banks. These structures help protect areas like Gashouse Bridge, Coleville Road, Davis Road, the quays, and the Old Bridge, which are often the worst affected by floods.
The town of Carrick-on-Suir also has flood defenses because the river here is affected by the tides from the sea. The OPW also plans to build new flood defenses in Waterford city to protect it from the river.
Images for kids
-
Woodstown Beach, Waterford, along the Suir estuary
See also
In Spanish: Río Suir para niños
