Glenamoy River

The Glenamoy River (Irish: Abhainn Ghleann na Muaidhe) is a river in north County Mayo, in the northwest of Ireland. It is renowned for its stocks of sea trout and salmon.

Geography
The Glenamoy River rises from its source at Glencalry and Barroosky, flowing for 23 km. For the greater part of its length it flows westwardly, through Glenamoy, heading for the village of Gortacragher, where it meets the Muingnabo River at Sruwaddacon Bay. The estuary is 8.4 km long. The catchment area of the Glenamoy River is 14 km2. The Glenamoy River has an elevation of 8 metres. It is particularly susceptible to fluvial flooding, in flood times, the river often becomes a roaring torrent sweeping away people and cattle. This river gets a good run of grilse and sea trout from July to September but because it is classed as a late river, fishing continues here up to early October. There are numerous fishing pools on the river:


 * Poll a Mhuileann (Mill Pool)
 * Poll a Bhalla (Wall Pool), Wheelchair Pool
 * Bun Na Muinge (Muing Pool)
 * Poll na Bearaice (Barrack Pool)
 * Poll Fada (Long Pool)
 * Poll a' Droichead (Bridge Pool)
 * Poll Padraig a Bhainc (Pat the Banks Pool)
 * Spiorog

The geology of this catchment is mainly schist, with the primary land use being peatland with pockets of forestry and agriculture. This catchment falls within two special areas of conservation (SAC's), the Slieve Fyagh Bog SAC to the south and Glenamoy Bog Complex SAC to the north and west. Nine sites were surveyed on the Glenamoy River Catchment between 26 and 27 July 2017 by Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Notable floods
In August 1933 after heavy rain the Muingnabo and Glenamoy rivers became swollen, cocks of hay and other debris washed downstream, three arches of the old bridge washed away due to the pressure from the rising waters. "Sunday night was a night of terror for the people of Erris, County Mayo, where crops were destroyed and bridges swept away by the heavy rains. Several people were forced to flee from their homes near Glencastle. Rain fell in a deluge from mid-day until midnight in Erris, and crops along the swollen rivers were ruined, Glenamoy bridge was swept away, dislocating traffic between Belmullet and Ballycastle."

Annie Brady's Bridge
Near to the river lied Annie Brady's Bridge. In 1841 a road running from Glenamoy to Carrowteige was approved and eventually completed in 1846, but no bridge was erected over the Muingnabo River. People could ford the river using an unsafe paving. During the Great Famine and following years, this river ford became the parting point between the emigrants and their families. Annie Brady was the wife of the Inspector of Fisheries for the area, she decided to raise money to build a bridge at the site to help people to travel in safety. The bridge was built in 1886 and swept away by a flood in 1933. It was then replaced by a new structure still present.

Amenities and fishing
Under the 2011 Salmon Angling Regulations, the river is open for angling. A one fish per day bag limit applies from 1 May to 11 May, with a three fish per day limit applying between 12 May and 31 August. A one fish per day bag limit applies from 1 September to 30 September. The Glenamoy River is subject to a quota in 2011, with a brown gill tag also required for catches which are retained.

There is a fishing club, The Glenamoy Community Angling Association, which issues permits for angling on the river, which was set up in 1999. The river passes through the villages of Glencalry, Glenamoy, Spadow, and Gortacragher. Recently, there has been an addition of a wheelchair friendly pool in the fishery.