Rivers

The River Barrow forms much of the border along western Kildare and is the main river flowing through the town of Athy. It is a very popular river for angling and has good stocks of rudd, dace, perch and bream. Salmon is also present, but is more plentiful near the Carlow/Laois border. The River Barrow also holds the Irish river record for pike. In 1964 a pike weighing in a 42lb was caught and the record has yet to be beaten.  

The Barrow is the second longest river in Ireland (192km), after the Shannon. It is one of the famous Three Sister Rivers of Ireland. The other two are the River Suir and the River Nore.

Through the north east of Kildare meanders the River Liffey, flowing through Leixlip on its journey to the sea at Dublin Bay. It is rich with trout and salmon. Indeed, the salmon gives its name to Leixlip which means ‘salmon leap’. The worse originates from the Old Norse word for salmon, lax.