View source for River Slaney

{{Short description|River in southeastern Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Irish English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox river
  | name              = River Slaney
  | name_other        = 
  | name_etymology    = [[Old Irish]] {{lang|ga|sláine}}, "health"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iwai.ie/the-slaney/|title=The Slaney – IWAI}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=sláine |url=https://dil.ie/37820 |website=eDIL ([[Dictionary of the Irish Language|An Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language]]) |year=2019 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref>
  | image             = SlaneyAtStartford 4444w.jpg
  | image_caption     = River Slaney at [[Stratford-on-Slaney]]
  | native_name       = {{native name list|tag1=ga|nolink1=omit|name1=An tSláine|tag2=ga|nolink2=omit|name2=Abhainn na Sláine}}
  | source1_location  = [[Lugnaquilla]], [[County Wicklow]]
  | mouth_location    = [[Wexford Harbour]], [[County Wexford]]
  | subdivision_type1 = Country
  | map               = Nore River Map.jpg
  | map_size          = 
  | map_caption       = Map of the rivers of southeast Ireland
  | subdivision_name1 = Ireland
  | length            = {{Convert|117.5|km|mi}}
  | source1_elevation = {{Convert|549|m|ft}}
  | discharge1_avg    = {{convert|37|m3/s|abbr=on}}
  | basin_size        = {{Convert|1762|km2|sqmi}}
  | tributaries_left  = [[River Derreen]], [[River Derry]], [[River Bann (Wexford)|River Bann]], [[River Ballyedmond]], [[River Sow (Wexford)|River Sow]]
  | tributaries_right = [[Browns Beck Brook]], [[River Clody]], [[River Urrin]], [[River Boro]] 
  |mouth              = [[Irish Sea]]
}}
 
The '''River Slaney''' ({{IPAc-en|'|s|l|ei|n|i:}}; {{irish place name|An tSláine}})<ref>{{Cite web |title=An tSláine/River Slaney |url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/116617 |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=logainm.ie |language=en}}</ref> is a large [[river]] in the southeast of [[Ireland]]. It rises on [[Lugnaquilla|Lugnaquilla Mountain]] in the western [[Wicklow Mountains]] and flows west and then south through counties [[County Wicklow|Wicklow]], [[County Carlow|Carlow]] and [[County Wexford|Wexford]] for 117.5&nbsp;km (73&nbsp;mi),<ref>Ordnance Survey of Ireland: ''Rivers and their Catchment Basins 1958 (Table of Reference)''</ref> before entering [[St George's Channel]] in the [[Irish Sea]] at [[Wexford]] town. The estuary of the Slaney is wide and shallow and is known as [[Wexford Harbour]]. The catchment area of the River Slaney is 1,762&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref name="auto">[http://www.serbd.com/MultiDownloads/Creport/Chapters/Physical%20Description%20Ch3.pdf South Eastern River Basin District Management System. Page 38] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222354/http://www.serbd.com/MultiDownloads/Creport/Chapters/Physical%20Description%20Ch3.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }}</ref> The long-term average flow rate of the River Slaney is 37.4m<sup>3</sup>/s<ref name="auto"/>

Towns that the Slaney runs through include [[Stratford-on-Slaney]], [[Baltinglass]], [[Tullow]], [[Bunclody]], [[Enniscorthy]] and [[Wexford]]. The river is crossed by 32 road bridges and one railway bridge.<ref>Duffy, John. ''River Slaney, from source to sea'', 2006, {{ISBN|978-0-9554184-0-2}}, p.30</ref>

==Wildlife==
Varied and plentiful wildlife can be found in the environs of the river. In Wicklow, herds of [[deer]] can be seen, as well as [[Mute swan|swans]], [[White-throated dipper|dippers]], [[Mallard|mallards]], [[Grey heron|herons]] and [[Common kingfisher|kingfishers]]. At dusk, [[bat]]s, [[owl]]s and [[Eurasian otter|otters]] may be seen, while the mudflats of the estuary are favoured by [[black-headed gull]]s, [[common redshank|redshanks]] and [[Eurasian oystercatcher|oystercatchers]].<ref>Duffy, p.19</ref> The [[goosander]] can be seen on the Slaney at [[Kildavin]]. In season, [[salmon]] and [[trout]] and [[northern pike|pike]] are fished.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.slaneyrivertrust.ie/R%20Slaney.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102233639/http://www.slaneyrivertrust.ie/R%20Slaney.htm|url-status=dead|title=Slaney River Trust|archivedate=2 January 2008}}</ref>

==History==
[[Ptolemy]]'s ''[[Geography (Ptolemy)|Geography]]'' (2nd century AD) described a river called Μοδοννος (''Modonnos'', "[[mudflats]]") which may have referred to the River Slaney, though scholarly opinion remains divided on the issue.<ref>{{cite web | title = Ireland | url = http://www.romaneranames.uk/essays/ireland.pdf | pages = 3 | website = www.romaneranames.uk | access-date = 1 June 2021}}</ref>

There is a reference to the Slaney in the Irish ballad [[Boolavogue (song)|Boolavogue]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCall, PJ 1898|first1=(High Kings version) |title=Boolavogue Lyrics |url=https://www.bellsirishlyrics.com/boolavogue.html |website=bellsirishlyrics.com |access-date=7 June 2021}}</ref> commemorating the [[Battle of Vinegar Hill]] in the [[Irish Rebellion of 1798]].

"[[Slaney Valley]]" was a 1972 Irish number one for [[Larry Cunningham]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irish-showbands.com/Bands/blueboys.htm|title=Blue Boys|website=www.irish-showbands.com}}</ref>

==Tributaries==
[[Tributary|Tributaries]] of the Slaney include the [[River Derreen]], the [[River Derry]], the River Clody, the [[River Bann (Wexford)|River Bann]], the River Urrin, the River Boro, and the River Sow.

==See also==
*[[Rivers of Ireland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Britannica | id=548054 | title=River Slaney }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080820090123/http://www.blather.net/shitegeist/2005/11/river_slaney_environment_unde.htm River Slaney: Environment Under Threat]

{{Rivers of Ireland}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|52|20|N|6|27|W|display=title|region:IE_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Slaney}}
[[Category:Rivers of County Wicklow]]
[[Category:Rivers of County Carlow]]
[[Category:Rivers of County Wexford]]
[[Category:Wexford, County Wexford]]