| Slate River | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | An Tarae (Irish) |
| Location | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Ballynafagh Lake, County Kildare |
| • elevation | 86 m (282 ft) |
| Mouth | River Figile |
• location | Bracknagh, County Offaly |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 0.037 m3/s (1.3 cu ft/s) |
The Slate River (Irish : An Tarae) or River Slate is a river in County Kildare and County Offaly, Ireland, a tributary of the Figile River.
Its name derives from the slate quarries in the region. The Irish language name derives from tarae, meaning mill race, referring to Sally Corn Mill, Rathangan. [1] [2]
The river was historically known as the Clashaghbane River. [3]
Slate River rises near Ballynafagh Lake in Prosperous and flows southwest, passing under the R403 road at Graigues. It continues westward parallel to, and north of, the Grand Canal. The Slate passes under the Grand Canal via the Derrymullen aqueduct and is bridged by the R415 at Littletown. The Slate River continues through Ballyteague Forest and passes by the Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park on the Bog of Allen. It passes through Rathangan, County Kildare where it passes under Rathangan Bridge, [4] part of the R401. There is also a footbridge downstream of this bridge, and another bridge (for the R414) at Rathangan Demesne.
The Slate River continues westward, passing into County Offaly and draining into the Figile River just south of Bracknagh.
Northern pike, European perch and brown trout are common. [5]
The Grand Canal is the southernmost of a pair of canals that connect Dublin, in the east of Ireland, with the River Shannon in the west, via Tullamore and a number of other villages and towns, the two canals nearly encircling Dublin's inner city. Its sister canal on the Northside of Dublin is the Royal Canal. The last working cargo barge passed through the Grand Canal in 1960.
Monasterevin, also Monasterevan, and Mevin is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. The town lies on the River Barrow and the Barrowline, a canal branch of the Grand Canal. The population was 4,246 at the 2016 Census.
The R445 road is a regional road in Ireland. The route is a non-motorway alternative route to the N7/M7 motorway between Naas and Limerick, and at 170 km it is one of the longest regional roads in Ireland. Indeed, much of the route comprises roads that were formerly part of the N7 between the cities, prior to motorway and other bypasses. Some of the R445 route also comprises local link roads to new N7/M7 route sections.
Edenderry is a town in east County Offaly, Ireland. It is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal runs along the south of Edenderry, through the Bog of Allen, and there is a short spur to the town centre.
The kingdom of Uí Fháilghe, Uí Failge or Uíbh Fhailí was a Gaelic-Irish kingdom which existed to 1550, the name of which is preserved in the name of County Offaly, Ireland.
Rathangan is a town in the west of County Kildare, Ireland. As of 2016, the population was 2,611. It is located 65 km (40 mi) from the centre of Dublin, and 14 km (8.7 mi) from Kildare, at the intersection of the R401, R414, and R419 regional roads. The Slate River and the Grand Canal run through the town.
Clonbullogue or Clonbolloge is a village in County Offaly, Ireland.
The R401 road is a regional road in Ireland, linking Kinnegad in County Meath to Kildare town in County Kildare.
Rhode is a village in County Offaly, Ireland. It is situated on the R400 at its junction with the R441 which leads to Edenderry, 12 km to the east. Rhode village is on an "island" of high ground surrounded by an expanse of raised bog which forms part of the Bog of Allen.
Lullymore is a civil parish in County Kildare in Ireland. It is in the historical barony of Offaly East. The lowest observed 20th century air temperature in Ireland, -18.8 °C was measured at Lullymore on 2 January 1979.
The Little Brosna River rises near Dunkerrin, County Offaly, Ireland. It flows for 36 miles before joining the River Shannon.
The Ballyfinboy River rises close to Moneygall in County Offaly, Ireland and flows in a generally northwesterly direction into Lough Derg at Drominagh. It forms part of the boundary between County Tipperary and County Offaly. The river flows through the towns of Cloughjordan and Borrisokane west of which it flows past Ballyfinboy Castle, a ruined tower house with a Sheela na gig in the townland of Ballyfinboy.
Victoria Lock, also known as Meelick Lock, is the first lock on the River Shannon upstream of Lough Derg, it is situated between Meelick, County Galway and Clonahenoge, County Offaly where the Little Brosna River enters the Shannon. It is very near the tripoint where the provinces of Munster, Leinster and Connacht meet. The lock is of architectural and technical interest and is listed on the Nation Inventory of Architectural Heritage, the dimensions are 142 ft x 40 ft. Thomas Rhodes on the instructions of the Shannon Commissioners constructed the lock in the 1840s as part of a widescale upgrade of the Shannon Navigation. The lock is still in use today by pleasure craft, both private and fleets of rental cruisers who use the River Shannon and the connecting canals. A second lock, Hamilton Lock is also located nearby but is now disused.
Clonahenoge is a townland in County Offaly, Ireland. It is located at the confluence of the Little Brosna River and the River Shannon.
Sharavogue is a townland in the historical Barony of Clonlisk, County Offaly, Ireland. It is a rural area located around the junction of the N52 road and the R492 between Roscrea and Birr. The Little Brosna River flows under Sharavogue bridge.
The Morell River is a river in County Kildare, Ireland, a tributary of the River Liffey.
The Figile River is a river in eastern Ireland.
The Painestown River is a river in County Kildare, Ireland, a tributary of the Morell River.
The Yellow River is a river in central Ireland, a tributary of the River Boyne.
Belmont is a village in County Offaly, Ireland.