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Rivers of Ireland

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.

The longest river in Ireland is the River Shannon, at . 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

TABLE 1

a

  • The length of the River Shannon from the Shannon Pot to Limerick City is with a basin area of 11,700&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.
  • The River Shannon's overall length (to Loop Head), using the Owenmore River (County Cavan) as source, is , 11&nbsp;km (7&nbsp;mi) longer than the Shannon Pot source.
  • The River Shannon's overall length (to Loop Head), using the Boyle River's furthest source, is , making the Boyle-Shannon river the longest natural stream flow (source to sea) in Ireland, 31.6&nbsp;km (19.5&nbsp;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 tidal estuary from its total length of , if one also excludes the lakes (L. Derg , L. Ree , L. Allen plus L. Boderg, L. Bofin, L. Forbes, L. Corry) from the Shannon's freshwater flow of , the Shannon as a freshwater river is only about long.

b

  • The total basin area of the Three Sisters (Barrow, Nore and Suir) is 9,207&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.

c

  • The traditional length given for the River Bann is 80&nbsp;miles (129&nbsp;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&nbsp;km (115.75&nbsp;mi), surpassed, in Ireland, only by the Shannon and Barrow rivers. This is the longest stream flow (source to sea) in Ulster.

d

Largest Irish Rivers (by flow)

TABLE 2

<sup>a</sup> The River Shannon's 209 m<sup>3</sup>/s is to Limerick City (Catchment area: 11,700&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>). If the discharges from all of the rivers and streams into the Shannon Estuary (including the rivers Feale 34.6m<sup>3</sup>/s, Maigue 15.6m<sup>3</sup>/s, Fergus 25.7m<sup>3</sup>/s, and Deel 7.4m<sup>3</sup>/s) are added to the discharge at Limerick giving a total catchment of 16,865&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, the total discharge of the River Shannon at its mouth at Loop Head reaches 300 m<sup>3</sup>/s

<sup>b</sup> The River Bann's 92 m<sup>3</sup>/s is to Movanagher Gauging station (Basin area 5209.8&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>). The 102.5 m<sup>3</sup>/s is based on the total basin area of 5808&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> .

<sup>c</sup> The Three Sisters (Barrow, Nore & Suir) total flow into Waterford Harbour is 154 m<sup>3</sup>/s and the combined flow of the Barrow and Nore rivers is 86 m<sup>3</sup>/s before joining the river Suir near Waterford City.

Rivers in Ulster

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)

See also

References

External links