Information about the Boyne River

Located in Leinster, Ireland, the River Boyne is approximately 112km long and flows north east through County Meath. This goes on towards the Irish Sea outside Drogheda. It is known as Ireland’s premier game fisheries boasting salmon, trout and grilse. The River Boyne is also known as Abhainn na Boinne and rises near Edenderry, near Offaly. There are well known bridges and viaducts that cross the river.

In the second century the Greek geographer Ptolemy drew a map of Ireland inclusive of the Boyne. Back then he named it Bubinda but this name was soon was transformed into Boandus by Giraldus Cambrensis. There have been several legends boasting the River Boyne in its story including the capture of Fiontan, the Salmon of Knowledge, by Fionn mac Cumhail. Another Irish myth says that the goddess Boann created the river and that the name ‘ Boyne’ is anglicized from that.

Although the river only runs a small distance, it does offer an insight into Ireland’s history and archaeology. The Boyne Valley boasts monuments such as castles, Loughcrew, Kells and Celtic crosses. The river itself passes the ancient cities of the Hill of Tara, Trim, Trim Castle, Hill of Slane, Navan, Drogheda and Mellifont Abbey to name a few. The Battle of the Boyne occurred near Drogheda during the Williamite war in the 1600s. Unrelated to that era, there are Viking ship remains in the river bed at Drogheda that had recently been discovered but have since been excavated due to hazard reasons.