River Clare
River Clare, or Abhainn an Chláir in Irish, is a river in County Mayo and County Galway in Ireland. It is about 93 kilometers long. The river starts north of Ballyhaunis in Mayo and flows west past Dunmore, then turns south past Milltown and near Kilbennan Church by Tuam. It continues south past Turloughmore, then turns west again and flows north of Claregalway into Lough Corrib. Water from Lough Corrib goes on to Galway Bay. The Clare is the longest river in the Lough Corrib catchment.
A large part of the river used to be a turlough, a kind of seasonal lake, covering about 6.5 square kilometers. Since the 1950s, drainage work has lowered the river bed and the river has been straightened and canalized, making access difficult and reducing its value as a public amenity.
The River Clare is an important spawning river for salmon and trout and is a well-known local fishery. Its tributaries include the Grange River and the Sinking River.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:48 (CET).