River Roe (Northern Ireland)
Encyclopedia
The River Roe flows north from Glenshane in the Sperrin Mountains
to Lough Foyle
, via the settlements of Dungiven
, Burnfoot, Limavady
and Myroe
. The river is contained within County Londonderry
in Northern Ireland
.
'rua', meaning 'red', ie the Red River.
The Irish government's placenames database, held by Dublin City University, identifies the Irish version of the name as . This roughly translates into English as "The River of Rowing", possibly due to common passage by oar-powered boat craft in earlier times.
farmland landscape before narrowing through a metamorphic rock
gorge within the Roe Valley Country Park
. Beyond Limavady the river widens and meanders to an estuary
feeding into Lough Foyle at Myroe Levels. Due to the wide, open nature of the upper reaches of the Roe, heavy rainfall can result in large surges of water. Many lower lying fields have earth defences to prevent flooding when the river rises above its natural banks. The estuary is a feeding ground of many birds and nesting area for Lapwing
.
, sea trout and brown trout
.
Sperrins
The Sperrins or Sperrin Mountains are a range of mountains in Northern Ireland and one of the largest upland areas in Ireland. The range stretches the counties of Tyrone and Londonderry from south of Strabane eastwards to Maghera and north towards Limavady...
to Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle
Lough Foyle, sometimes Loch Foyle , is the estuary of the River Foyle in Ulster. It starts where the Foyle leaves Derry. It separates the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland from County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.-Transport:...
, via the settlements of Dungiven
Dungiven
Dungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...
, Burnfoot, Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
and Myroe
Myroe
Myroe is a large farming village on the outskirts of Limavady, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It was built in the late 18th century CE on reclaimed land in the Roe Valley close to Lough Foyle....
. The river is contained within County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Etymology
The origin of the name 'Roe' is unclear. Suggestions include a Viking origin in the 8th/9th century, and the IrishIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
'rua', meaning 'red', ie the Red River.
The Irish government's placenames database, held by Dublin City University, identifies the Irish version of the name as . This roughly translates into English as "The River of Rowing", possibly due to common passage by oar-powered boat craft in earlier times.
Geology
The Roe Basin (or Roe Valley) is a wide, glacial valley. The river flows most of the way to Limavady through an open, grassy, pastoralPastoralism
Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock. It is animal husbandry: the care, tending and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas, and sheep. It may have a mobile aspect, moving the herds in search of fresh pasture and...
farmland landscape before narrowing through a metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is the transformation of an existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means "change in form". The protolith is subjected to heat and pressure causing profound physical and/or chemical change...
gorge within the Roe Valley Country Park
Roe Valley Country Park
The Roe Valley Country Park is a forested area containing part of the River Roe, south west of Limavady in Northern Ireland. It is maintained by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, which is part of the Department of the Environment of Northern Ireland....
. Beyond Limavady the river widens and meanders to an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
feeding into Lough Foyle at Myroe Levels. Due to the wide, open nature of the upper reaches of the Roe, heavy rainfall can result in large surges of water. Many lower lying fields have earth defences to prevent flooding when the river rises above its natural banks. The estuary is a feeding ground of many birds and nesting area for Lapwing
Lapwing
Vanellinae are any of various crested plovers, family Charadriidae, noted for its slow, irregular wingbeat in flight and a shrill, wailing cry. Its length is 10-16 inches. They are a subfamily of medium-sized wading birds which also includes the plovers and dotterels. The Vanellinae are...
.
Angling
The Roe Valley Country Park is a popular area for fishing, with stock of salmonAtlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
, sea trout and brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
.