River Feale

The River Feale (An Fhéil or Abhainn na Féile in Irish) rises near Rockchapel in the Mullaghareirk Mountains of County Cork in the southwest of Ireland and flows northwestwards for 75 kilometres [1] through Abbeyfeale in County Limerick and Listowel in County Kerry before finally emptying into the Mouth of the Shannon by Ballyduff. Then it flows out through the Shannon's estuary and joins with the Atlantic Ocean with a flow rate of 34.6 m2/s.[2] The river, along with its tributaries, combine to add to over 160 km (100 miles) of waterways. The river contains a large salmon and sea trout population.

River Feale
River Feale at Finuge Crossing, County Kerry
EtymologyFial, a mythical woman
Native nameAbhainn na Féile  (Irish)
Location
CountryIreland
CountiesCork, Limerick, Kerry
TownsAbbeyfeale, Listowel
Physical characteristics
SourceMullaghareirk Mountains
 • locationCounty Cork
MouthShannon Estuary
 • location
Ballyduff, County Kerry
Length75 km (47 mi)
Basin size445.2 sq mi (1,153 km2)
Discharge 
 • average34.6 m3/s (1,220 cu ft/s)
Beach seine fishing for salmon in River Feale near by town Ballybunion, year 1975.

Name

According to Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn (compiled in the 1630s), the river takes its name from a legendary woman:[3][4]

Fuair Fial bean Lughaidh mic Íotha bás do náire ar bhfaicsin a nochta da céile ar dteacht ó shnámh dhi; gonadh uaithe ghairmthear Innbhear Féile don abhainn sin ó shoin i le
Fial wife of Lughaidh son of Ioth died of shame on her husband seeing her naked as she returned from swimming; and from her that river has ever since been called Innbhear Feile

— Foras Feasa ar Éirinn, part 22

See also

References
  1. Fishing in Ireland.info
  2. Case Study Report - Shannon River Basin
  3. http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100054/text032.html
  4. http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100054/index.html


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