River Ara

River Ara
Bridge over the Ara on Station Road, Tipperary (R664)
Native name	An Ára (Irish)
Location
Country	Ireland
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Shrough, County Tipperary
• elevation	136 m (446 ft)
Mouth
• location	Celtic Sea at Waterford Harbour via Aherlow River and Suir
Length	29.4 km (18.3 mi)
Discharge
• average	0.03 m3/s (1.1 cu ft/s)

This article is about the Irish river. For the rivers in Japan, see Arakawa River (disambiguation).

The River Ara (/ˈærə/; Irish: An Ára) is a river in County Tipperary, Ireland.

Name

The Ara (sometimes spelled Arra) takes its name from the ancient territory of Ara (Aradh, Tir Arad, Dál Cairbri Arad) in which it is found, ruled by the Ó Donnagáin (O'Donegans). It gives its name to the barony of Owney and Arra and the Arra Mountains, while Tipperary town (and thus County Tipperary) takes its name from Tiobrad Árann (many spelling variants exist), "the spring by the Ara."

Course

The Ara rises in Shrough in the Glen of Aherlow. It flows north, passing under the R662 near Mount Bruis village and meeting a tributary in Shronell. It flows on eastwards, passing through Tipperary where it passes under the Limerick–Rosslare railway line, is bridged by the R664 and separates The Abbey School from the rest of the town. The Ara flows southward past Tipperary Golf Club and then eastward through Bansha Wood. It is bridged by the N24 near Kilshane House and recrosses the Limerick–Rosslare railway line. It continues southeastwards through Bansha and is crosses by Bansha Bridge, a triple-arched limestone bridge (1863). In Ballymorris it drains into the Aherlow River.

Wildlife

As with many tributaries of the River Suir, the Ara is a noted brown trout fishery. A restaurant on Abbey Street, Tipperary, just yards from the river, bears the name "The Brown Trout".

See also

• Rivers of Ireland