The river
The Aughrim River is barely two kilometres long. It is born in the village, where the Ow and the Derry meet, and it is spent by the time it slips into the Avoca. Fed off the Wicklow Mountains, it stays cool and clear, and because it is a spate river its mood swings with the rainfall: bony and quiet in a dry spell, fast and pushy after a wet week. Aughrim itself is built from the granite quarried around it, the bridges, the walls, the old Market House, which is why it is known as the Granite Village.
A little history
In 1798, Rednagh Bridge, just south of the village, was the site of a real engagement in the rebellion, where General Joseph Holt got the better of the crown forces on 19 September; a plaque nearby remembers Anne Devlin. Milling ran here from the seventeenth century, with a weir and mill race cut to power it, until the last mill closed in 1963. The Shillelagh branch railway opened in 1865 and ran beside the valley, carrying passengers until 1944 and goods on the Woodenbridge–Aughrim stretch until 1953. Part of that old line survives as the Tinahely Railway Walk, though that walk is up at Tinahely along the Derry, not on the Aughrim itself. The village has a habit of winning things, too: it took the national Tidy Towns title in 2007, and was named Ireland’s tidiest small town in 2006 and 2009.
White-water kayaking
In enough water, the Aughrim is a tidy little run, Grade 1 to 3, with a mini-gorge and a tree-lined section that wants watching. It is short, well under an hour, and most paddlers put in near the village bridge and take out at the Avoca confluence. One thing to know before you go: the weir below the village is Coatesbridge Weir, and its two-metre drop is a hazard, not a feature. Portage it when the water is up. And only bother coming after rain in the first place, because a dry week leaves the river too low to paddle. Check the gauge on the Irish Whitewater site first.
Trout fishing
The river holds wild brown trout, best in the slower, deeper pools below the weir. If you want something easier, the Angling for All lake nearby is a four-acre stocked lake set in an eight-acre riverside park, fully wheelchair accessible, with its own parking, toilets and tackle hire, holding both brown and rainbow trout. River fishing needs a permit; check with the local angling club before you cast.
Walking
The Sean Linehan Way is the pick of the walks: a 4 km loop from the car park and picnic area at Tinakilly Bridge, about an hour through woodland along the Ballycreen Brook. On the western side of the village, the Ciaran Shannon Way runs off Rednagh Road past old bridges and railway remains. Both are flat and easy, good for a pram or a slow hour with a camera.
Getting there and practical information
Aughrim sits on the R747 between Arklow and Baltinglass, with the R753 also feeding in; bus 1394 links it to Arklow. Parking is thin: lay-bys near Aughrim Bridge and the small car park with the picnic area at Tinakilly Bridge, so arrive early on weekends and in autumn. The banks are slick granite, so wear something with grip, and dogs are welcome on the walks but keep them close by the water and the fishing.
Check the Irish Whitewater gauge before you load the boat. If it reads low, park at Tinakilly Bridge, walk the Sean Linehan loop instead, and save the paddling for the next wet week.
Nearby attractions
- Avoca Handweaving Mill – Historic working mill and craft shop a short drive downstream.
- Avoca Valley – Wider valley walks and the famous Meeting of the Waters.
- Baltinglass – Medieval abbey ruins and hilltop walks north of the village.
- Avoca – Village known for its textile heritage, riverside cafés and weekly market.