The Inny is a fishing river before it is anything else. For 88.5 km it runs from the slopes of Slieve na Calliagh, near Oldcastle in County Meath, down through a chain of midland lakes to Lough Ree on the Shannon, holding roach, bream, tench, perch and pike almost the whole way. If you are not carrying a rod or a paddle, the one thing worth the detour is the Whitworth Aqueduct at Abbeyshrule, where the Royal Canal crosses the river on a single stone span.
The river’s course
The Inny starts as a stream sometimes called the Upper Inny or Ross River, marks the boundary between Meath and Cavan for a short stretch, then enters Lough Sheelin at the meeting point of Cavan, Meath and Westmeath. From there it threads Lough Kinale, Lough Derravaragh and Lough Iron, gathering volume as it goes. For much of its lower course it forms the boundary between Longford and Westmeath before emptying into Lough Ree at Inny Bay.
Fishing
This is one of the better coarse fisheries in the midlands, and it fishes well for roach, bream, tench, perch and pike. Anglers favour the stretch below Newcastle bridge, where the river deepens to between 1.5 m and over 3 m and the mix of shallow riffles and deeper pools gives bottom-feeders somewhere to hold. There is parking at Newcastle Bridge and again at Ballymahon. A valid Irish rod licence is required, and local clubs manage particular stretches, so it is worth asking before you set up.
Kayaking below Newcastle
Below Newcastle bridge the gradient steepens into a short run of pour-overs, stoppers and standing waves, the only whitewater of its kind in the midlands. The Inny Kayak Club, going since 1993 and based in Ballymahon, paddles the roughly 4 km down to Ballymahon Bridge. The car park at Newcastle bridge has a concrete slipway with steps, so getting a boat in is straightforward. Levels swing with rainfall, though: after a dry spell the run drops too low to be worth it, so check with the club before you drive out.
The Whitworth Aqueduct
At Abbeyshrule the Royal Canal crosses the Inny on the Whitworth Aqueduct, built in 1817 to a design by John Killaly. It carries the canal 165 feet across the river, and a plaque on the south parapet records its construction. The Royal Canal Greenway crosses here too, so a look at the aqueduct pairs neatly with a flat walk or cycle along the towpath.
History and the name
The Inny once turned mills, most notably a pair at Tenelick near Abbeyshrule, along with a sawmill and generator at Newcastle whose weir fed a small waterfall at Ballymahon. Land-drainage works in the 1960s removed the Newcastle weir and silenced the Ballymahon millrace after roughly a century of use. The name comes from the Irish Abhainn Eithne, Eithne’s river: local tradition holds that Princess Eithne drowned in the rapids at Tenelick, and the river was named in her memory.
This is working farmland country rather than dramatic scenery. The quiet reaches near the lakes make for an easy riverside walk, but the real draw is the fishing, the paddling and the canal crossing, not the views.
Practical information
- Access and cost: Free. No gates, entry fees or set opening hours.
- Parking: Village car parks at Ballymahon and Abbeyshrule, and dedicated angler parking at Newcastle Bridge and Ballymahon.
- Fishing: An Irish rod licence is mandatory; check local club rules for stretch-specific permits.
- Kayaking: Contact the Inny Kayak Club (innykayakclub.com) about water levels and launch points before heading out.
- Safety: Wear a certified life jacket for paddling, and sturdy footwear for the banks.
For a fuller midland day, the Corlea Trackway visitor centre, built over a preserved Iron Age bog road, is a short drive from Abbeyshrule.