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Rivers of Ireland facts for kids

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Shown here are all the major rivers and tributaries of Ireland with their lengths (in kilometres and miles). Starting with the Northern Ireland rivers, and going in a clockwise direction, the rivers (and tributaries) are listed in regard to their entry into the different seas: the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Also shown are two tables. Table 1 shows the longest rivers in Ireland with their lengths (in kilometres and miles), the counties they flow through, and their catchment areas (in square kilometres). Table 2 shows the largest rivers in Ireland (by mean flow) in cubic metres per second.

Ireland physical medium
Some of the larger or better known rivers of Ireland are shown on this map (large version).

The longest river in Ireland is the River Shannon, at 360.5 kilometres (224.0 mi). The river develops into three lakes along its course, Lough Allen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Of these, Lough Derg is the largest. The Shannon enters the Atlantic Ocean at the Shannon Estuary. Other major rivers include the River Liffey, River Lee, River Swilly, River Foyle, River Lagan, River Erne, River Blackwater, River Nore, River Suir, River Barrow (The Three Sisters), River Bann, River Slaney, River Boyne, River Moy and River Corrib.

Longest Irish Rivers (with Basin areas)

Lengths obtained from the Ordnance Survey of Ireland: Rivers and their Catchment Basins 1958 (Table of Reference), and for the rivers Bann and Erne - Notes on River Basins by Robert A. Williams

River Counties Length Basin Area
1 River Shannon (including estuary and flow through lakes)a Cavan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Longford, Westmeath, Galway, Offaly,

Tipperary, Clare, Limerick, Kerry

360 km (224 mi) 16,800 km2
2 River Barrowb Laois, Kildare, Kilkenny, Carlow,

Wexford, Waterford

192 km (119 mi) 3,067 km2
3 River Suirb Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Wexford 184 km (114.5 mi) 3,610 km2
4 River Blackwater (Munster) Kerry, Cork, Waterford 168 km (104.5 mi) 3,324 km2
5 River Bann (including flow through L. Neagh)c Down, Armagh, Antrim, Londonderry 159 km (99 mi) 5,808 km2
6 River Noreb Tipperary, Laois, Kilkenny 140 km (87 mi) 2,530 km2
7 River Suck (Shannon) Roscommon, Galway 133 km (83 mi) 1,600 km2
8 River Liffey Wicklow, Kildare, Dublin 132 km (82 mi) 1,256 km2
9 River Erne Cavan, Fermanagh, Donegal 129 km (80 mi) 4,372 km2
10 River Foyle (including Rivers Mourne, Strule & Camowen) Tyrone, Londonderry, Donegal 129 km (80 mi) 2,925 km2
11 River Slaney Wicklow, Carlow, Wexford 117 km (73 mi) 1,762 km2
12 River Boyne Kildare, Offaly, Meath, Louth 113 km (70 mi) 2,695 km2
13 River Moy Sligo, Mayo 101 km (62.5 mi) 2,086 km2
14 River Clare (Corrib)d Mayo, Roscommon, Galway 93 km (58 mi) 1,108 km2
15 River Blackwater (Ulster) (Bann) c Tyrone, Monaghan, Armagh 92 km (57 mi) 1,507 km2
16t River Inny (Shannon) Cavan, Longford, Westmeath 89 km (55.5 mi) 1,254 km2
16t River Lee Cork 89 km (55.5 mi) 1,253 km2
18 River Lagan Down, Antrim 86 km (53.5 mi) 565 km2
19 River Brosna (Shannon) Westmeath, Offaly 79 km (49 mi) 1,248 km2
20 River Laune (includes Lough Leane and River Flesk) Kerry 76 km (47.25 mi) 829 km2
21 River Feale (Shannon) Cork, Limerick, Kerry 74 km (46 mi) 1,170 km2
22 River Bandon Cork 72 km (45 mi) 608 km2
23 River Blackwater (Boyne) Cavan, Meath 68 km (42.5 mi) 733 km2
24 River Annalee (Erne) Monaghan, Cavan 66.8 km (41.75 mi) 522 km2
25 River Bride (M. Blackwater) Cork, Waterford 64 km (40 mi) 419 km2
26 Boyle River (including Lung River) (Shannon) Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon 64 km (40 mi) 725 km2
27 River Deel (Shannon) Cork, Limerick 63.2 km (39.5 mi) 481 km2
28 River Robe (Corrib)d Mayo 62.8 km (39.25 mi) 320 km2
29 River Finn (County Donegal) (Foyle) Donegal, Tyrone 62.8 km (39.25 mi) 505 km2
30 River Maigue (Shannon) Cork, Limerick 62 km (38.75 mi) 1,000 km2
31 Fane River Monaghan, Armagh, Louth 61.2 km (38.25 mi) 350 km2
32 Ballisodare River Sligo 60.8 km (38 mi) 650 km2
33 River Dee (Louth) Cavan, Meath, Louth 60.4 km (37.75 mi) 392 km2
34 River Fergus (Shannon) Clare 58.4 km (36.5 mi) 1,043 km2
35 Little Brosna River (Shannon) Offaly, Tipperary 57.6 km (36 mi) 662 km2
36 Mulkear River (including Bilboa River) (Shannon) Tipperary, Limerick 55.9 km (34.75 mi) 650 km2
37 River Glyde (Co. Louth) Cavan, Meath, Louth 55.9 km (34.75 mi) 348 km2

TABLE 1

a

  • The length of the River Shannon from the Shannon Pot to Limerick City is 258 kilometres (160 mi) with a basin area of 11,700 km2.
  • The River Shannon's overall length (to Loop Head), using the Owenmore River (Glangevlin) as source, is 372 kilometres (231 mi), 11 km (7 mi) longer than the Shannon Pot source.
  • The River Shannon's overall length (to Loop Head), using the Boyle River's furthest source, is 392.1 kilometres (243.6 mi), making the Boyle-Shannon river the longest natural stream flow (source to sea) in Ireland, 31.6 km (19.5 mi) longer than the Shannon Pot source.
  • The River Shannon is a traditional freshwater river for just about 45% of its total length. Excluding the 102.2-kilometre (63.5 mi) tidal estuary from its total length of 360 kilometres (224 mi), if one also excludes the lakes (L. Derg 39 kilometres (24 mi), L. Ree 29 kilometres (18 mi), L. Allen 11 kilometres (7 mi) plus L. Boderg, L. Bofin, L. Forbes, L. Corry) from the Shannon's freshwater flow of 258.3 kilometres (160.5 mi), the Shannon as a freshwater river is only about 160 kilometres (100 mi) long.

b

  • The total basin area of the Three Sisters (Barrow, Nore and Suir) is 9,207 km2.

c

  • The traditional length given for the River Bann is 80 miles (129 km) which is the combined total length of Upper and Lower Bann rivers and doesn't include Lough Neagh.
  • The total length of the Ulster Blackwater from its source to the sea via L. Neagh and the Lower Bann is 186.3 km (115.75 mi), surpassed, in Ireland, only by the Shannon and Barrow rivers. This is the longest stream flow (source to sea) in Ulster.

d

Rivers in Northern Ireland

With length in miles (and km)

Rivers in the Republic of Ireland, flowing into the Irish Sea

With length in miles (and km)

Rivers in the Republic of Ireland, flowing into the Celtic Sea

With length in miles (and km)

Rivers in the Republic of Ireland, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean

With length in miles (and km)

  • Roughty River 16.75 miles (26.96 km) (flowing into Kenmare Bay) at Kenmare
  • River Laune 14 miles (23 km)
    • River Flesk 28.25 miles (45.46 km)
    • Gweestin River 13.75 miles (22.13 km)
  • Caragh River 14 miles (23 km)
  • River Inny (Kerry) 16.5 miles (26.6 km)
  • Cummeragh River 9.5 miles (15.3 km)
  • River Ferta
  • River Carrowbeg
  • River Maine 26.5 miles (42.6 km)
    • Brown Flesk 19.75 miles (31.78 km)
  • River Feale 46 miles (74 km)
    • River Galey 27 miles (43 km)
    • Allaghaun River 13.75 miles (22.13 km)
    • Smerlagh (Smaorlagh) River 15.5 miles (24.9 km)
    • Shanow River 15.25 miles (24.54 km)
  • River Shannon 224 miles (360 km)
  • River Fergus 36.5 miles (58.7 km)
  • River Corrib 5.75 miles (9.25 km)
  • River Clarin 19.75 miles (31.78 km)
  • Kilcolgan River 9.5 miles (15.3 km)
    • Dooyertha River 23.75 miles (38.22 km)
  • Kinvarra River
  • River Doonbeg 25.75 miles (41.44 km)
  • River Inagh 22.75 miles (36.61 km)
  • Carrowbeg River 10 miles (16 km)
  • Bunowen River 13.25 miles (21.32 km)
  • River Erriff 20.5 miles (33.0 km)
  • Owenglin River 11.5 miles (18.5 km)
  • Ballynahinch River 18.5 miles (29.8 km)
  • Cashla River 13.25 miles (21.32 km)
  • Owenboliska River 13.25 miles (21.32 km)
  • Glenamoy River 13.75 miles (22.13 km)
  • Cloonaghmore River 19.75 miles (31.78 km)
  • Owenmore River (County Mayo) (incl. Carrowmore Lake) 29.25 miles (47.07 km)
  • Owenduff River 17.75 miles (28.57 km)
  • Newport River 18.25 miles (29.37 km)
  • River Moy 62.5 miles (100.6 km)
    • Deel River 28 miles (45 km)
    • Manulla River 19 miles (31 km)
    • Gweestion River 23 miles (37 km)
    • Owengarve River 16 miles (26 km)
    • River Glore 17 miles (27 km)
  • Easky River, County Sligo 18.5 miles (29.8 km)
  • Ballisodare River 5.5 miles (8.9 km)
  • River Garavogue (including L. Gill and R. Bonnet) 31.5 miles (50.7 km)
  • River Erne 80 miles (130 km) — mainly formed by Upper and Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
    • River Annalee 41.75 miles (67.19 km)
    • River Cladagh (including Arney) 22 miles (35 km)
    • Sillees River 33 miles (53 km)
    • River Ballinamallard 16 miles (26 km)
    • River Swanlinbar 18 miles (29 km)
    • River Woodford 18.5 miles (29.8 km)
    • Dromore River 23.25 miles (37.42 km)
    • Yellow River 17.25 miles (27.76 km)
    • Colebrooke River 35 miles (56 km)
    • River Finn (Erne tributary) 31.5 miles (50.7 km)
  • Owenea River 16.25 miles (26.15 km)
  • Oily River 13 miles (21 km)
  • Bungosteen River 15.5 miles (24.9 km)
  • Ballintra River 14 miles (23 km)
  • River Eske 15.25 miles (24.54 km)
  • River Gweebarra 19.75 miles (31.78 km)
  • River Swilly 25.5 miles (41.0 km)

Largest Irish Rivers (by flow)

River

(River Basin)

Mean Discharge

(m³/s)

1 River Shannona 209 (300)
2 River Corrib 104
3 River Bannb 92 (102.5)
4 River Foyle 90
5 River Blackwater (Munster) 87
6 River Erne 85
7 River Suirc 68
8 River Moy 63
9 River Barrowc 44
10 River Laune 43
11 River Norec 42
12 River Lee 40
13 River Boyne 38
14 River Cong (Corrib) 37.6
15 River Slaney 37
16 River Feale (Shannon) 34.6
17 River Fergus (Shannon) 25.7
18 River Clare (Corrib) 22.9
19 River Suck (Shannon) 22.2
20 River Bandon 21.5
21 River Mourne (Foyle) 21.1
22 River Blackwater (Ulster) (Bann) 19.7
23 River Ballisodare 18.25
24 River Inny (Shannon) 18.4
25 River Avoca 18
26 River Liffey 17
27 River Derg (Foyle) 16.2
28 River Maigue (Shannon) 15.6
29 River Main (Bann) 15.4
30 River Blackwater (Boyne) (Boyne) 15.08
31 Aille River (Connacht) (Corrib) 15.0
32 Owenmore River (County Mayo) 14.7
33 Boyle River (Shannon) 13.57
34 River Deel (Shannon) 12.56
35 Mulkear River (Shannon) 12.55

TABLE 2

a The River Shannon's 209 m3/s is to Limerick City (Catchment area: 11,700 km2). If the discharges from all of the rivers and streams into the Shannon Estuary (including the rivers Feale 34.6m3/s, Maigue 15.6m3/s, Fergus 25.7m3/s, and Deel 7.4m3/s) are added to the discharge at Limerick giving a total catchment of 16,865 km2, the total discharge of the River Shannon at its mouth at Loop Head reaches 300 m3/s

b The River Bann's 92 m3/s is to Movanagher Gauging station (Basin area 5209.8 km2). The 102.5 m3/s is based on the total basin area of 5808 km2 .

c The Three Sisters (Barrow, Nore & Suir) total flow into Waterford Harbour is 154 m3/s and the combined flow of the Barrow and Nore rivers is 86 m3/s before joining the river Suir near Waterford City.

See also

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