The Global Paddling Community

Play river, Ireland, Garavogue River, Sligo

What's it like

The north west of Ireland is a beautiful place, and has some very good white water sometimes too! It takes a lot of rain to bring this river right up, about a week's worth of really heavy downpours. Also you need a low tide to make the rapids appear, as they are formed where the short (500m) section of this river pours into Sligo bay. But when working this little stretch of rapids have the best waves and holes in the north west of Ireland. The river runs right through Sligo town. It's easy to find and easy to inspect from the right bank.

The first feature, known as 'the feeder' is a diagonal wave (see photo below). Surf it, or run it (hard river right) just make sure you make the right arch only of the bridge below the wave.

Catch the eddy below this bridge on the right behind the bridge. You are now sitting beside 'lil wave', a smallish wave which in high water is spin-able, in lower water just surf-able.

Use 'lil wave' to surf across to 'breakfast'. This is a hole with no eddy service. If you wash out ferry back to the eddy behind the bridge. 'Breakfast' is cartwheel-able in most water levels but is quite violent in high flows.

When you are finished here, or when you wash down, make for river left as fast as you can. Catch the last eddy on river left. You are now sitting beside 'shopping trolley'. In moderate to low levels this is a hole. In high levels it's a green wave. In really high levels it takes real skill and balls to ride. It's huge, steep and ultra fast. Spins and blunts are possible and probably even aerial moves. In lower levels shopping trolley can be shallow, and not really vert-able, but it spins nice and back loops in short boats are possible.

The rapid on the other side of the river, 'glue', is usually a super sticky hole, and is best avoided unless you like a battle of a side surf.

Hazards: This is usually a shallow river, and as such, be aware of your head at all times. This river is at least a grade 3, and should not be paddled unless you are able to roll fast. Swimmers will have to swim a long way to find a place to empty their boats as the whole river is in an artificial canyon created by the town's bridges, road and buildings. This is an urban river, and as with all urban rivers, may contain trolleys, assorted bikes, and the occasional dead dog. Having said that the water is surprisingly clean, usually.

How to get there

Take the N4 to Sligo town. It's a very small town. Find the Bank of Ireland on Stephen Street and take the right turn into the banks car park. Abandon your car here, (remember to buy parking discs) and put in to the river from
the car park. This is the only put in.

After the last rapid float down into Sligo bay and go to the far side of the apartment block that is on your left.
Here you will find a slipway. This is the only take out.

Get out here and walk back up through the town to your car. (Yes, you will look like a idiot, but who cares?) Try not to hit anybody with your boat. It's best to have a walk around the town before you run the river if you don't know it, just so you don't look a total idiot asking for directions in wet paddling gear.

Info sources

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