Questions on the river Nore

View of Kilkenny castle reflected in the river Nore and framed by white and pink Petunia flowers

Popular questions about the river Nore

Below are the most common questions we get asked while doing our boat trips on the river Nore in Kilkenny. Hopefully they might be of use if you are interest in learning about the beautiful river that is the Nore.

Where does the river Nore start? Where is the source of the Nore? Where does the Nore rise?

The river Nore rises on the edge of the Devils Bit mountain in county Tipparary, Ireland. Here is a little blog we wrote about tracing the Nore back to its source. Source of the River Nore

How long or what length is the river Nore?

The river Nore is approximately 140km long or if you prefer miles, Its approximately 87 miles long.

How fast is the river Nore?

The river Nore has an approximate flow rate of just under 43 cubic meters per second. According to the report entitled “South Eastern River Basin District Management System” the exact long-term flow rate is 42.9 cubic meters per second.

What kind of fish are in the river Nore?

The river Nore is a mainly Trout and Salmon river. However, it also holds good Perch, Pike and Dace, along with Gudgeon, Roach, Stickleback, Minnow and Eel.

What river flows through Kilkenny?

Kilkenny city is built on the banks of the river Nore. The river Nore is the main river flowing through the centre of Kilkenny city. Its should not be confused with the river Breagagh which is a tributary of the Nore and flows through that city also at Irish Town.

What towns are on the river Nore?

Some of the bigger villages or towns that river Nore flows though or near include Castletown (Co Laois), Durrow (Co.Laois), Ballyragget (Co. Kilkenny), Kilkenny City, Bennetsbridge (Co. Kilkenny), Thomastown (Co. Kilkenny) and Inistioge (Co. Kilkenny).

What are the main tributaries of the river Nore?

The river Nore drains approximately 2,500 square kilometres of land over both Leinster and Munster. Its main tributaries that accommodate this include the river Erkina, river Dinan (aka Dinin, Deen), the Mountrath river (aka White Horse), the Breagagh, the Kings river, the Little Arrigle, and the Black Water.

How deep is the river Nore in Kilkenny City?

During Summer, the depth of the river Nore in Kilkenny city ranges from approximately 1meter (3ft) below Greens Bridge to 5 meters (15ft) in the deep hole on the bend under the Castle. At John’s Bridge in the centre of the city, the river is around 3.5 meters deep or 10.5ft during summer. For more accurate depths on the river Nore, or on any river in Ireland for that matter, please see www.waterlevel.ie 

 

Is the river Nore Tidal?

The river Nore is Tidal only from where it meets the river Barrow at Ringwood and upstream as far as the beautiful town of Inistioge.

Where does the river Nore end? Or where does the river Nore meet the river Barrow?

The river Nore flows into the river Barrow or meets the river Barrow at a little townland called Ringwood in the electoral area of The Rower in county Kilkenny. Here is a link to its location on Google Maps here

What is the Irish name for the river Nore?

The river Nore in Irish is An Fheoir. It has been suggested that it comes from Irish Feora being green bank, or shore of a river or lake. Or the old Irish feórann meaning green bank or shore-land.

Can I canoe / kayak the river Nore?

While I’ve not paddled the entire river Nore, I’m led to believe that a large section of the 140 Kilometre river is navigable in a Kayak or Canoe. I understand that it is possible to just pick a location along the system and start paddling. However, some of the more popular starting locations include Three Castles, Kilkenny City, Bennettsbridge, Thomastown or Inistioge. I’ve paddled the river Nore form Kilkenny city to Inistioge numerous times and it truly is a magnificent river. However, if you plan to take a canoeing trip, it would be best to consult the Irish White Water Guide at www.iww.ie or talk to some locals such as Kilkenny Aqua Canoe Club at www.kacc.ie   or if you are new to kayaking/canoeing and want to learn, the club is also a great starting point. I recently did a short blog on it here Canoeing in Kilkenny

 

Can I walk the river Nore?

There are a number river side walks in the various towns and counties. However, the main two trails along the Nore are A) Kilkenny city to Bennettsbridge for more information, see Trail Kilkenny KK 2 BB  and B) Thomastown to Inistioge. For more information to this beautiful trail, see Trail KilKenny TT 2 Inis

 

Popular questions on the river Nore.

The above are just some of the more popular questions we get asked about the river Nore in Kilkenny. Hopefully we are accurate in answering them as best we can. However, if you spot or notice a glaring mistake or where we might be giving out incorrect information, please let us know. For as they say, “everyday is a learning day”

Cheers.

Cliff

PS For questions on the river Barrow, check out About the river Barrow

24th October 2021

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Clifford Reid

Written by Clifford Reid

2 Comments

  1. Damien Fitzpatrick

    Hi Clifford,
    Just a quick question you might have an answer to. My young lad is doing a project and he was given the river Nore . One of the questions I can’t find an answer to is, ” how wide is it at its widest point ” . You might know. Would appreciate your input , regards Damien.

    Reply
    • Clifford Reid

      Good question. I don’t honestly know. However, I would believe it to be this location and hopefully you might be able to get a measurement off Google Maps here.
      Dropped pin
      Near Ringwood, Co. Kilkenny
      https://maps.app.goo.gl/1wpns48oPD5eZjr19

      Reply

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