River Clare

River Clare
The Clare on the east side ofLackagh
Etymology	River of the plain
Native name	Abhainn an Chláir(Irish)
Location
Country	Ireland
Cities	Claregalway,Corofin, County Galway,Milltown,Ballyhaunis
Physical characteristics
Mouth
• coordinates	53.330°N 9.049°W/53.330; -9.049
• elevation	5 metres (16 ft)
Length	93 kilometres (58 mi)
Basin size	1,108 km2(428 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	22.9 m3/s (810 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River system	Corribs
Tributaries
• left	Grange River,Sinking River

TheRiver Clare(Irish:Abhainn an Chláir) is a river in countiesMayoandGalwayinIreland.

The 93 kilometres (58 mi) long river rises north ofBallyhaunisin Mayo and descends pastDunmore,where it flows west, then turns south pastMilltowncontinuing down through Kilbennan Church nearTuam.It continues south until past Turloughmore, then turns sharply west, flowing north ofClaregalwayand, thence, further westward intoLough Corrib.TheRiver Corribflow from the lake intoGalway Bay.The Clare is the longest river in the Lough Corrib catchment.

A large section of it is a formerturlough(Irish:turlach), which, at 6.5 square kilometres, used to be Ireland's largest.

The Clare has since the 1950s been subject to ongoingarterial drainageto lower the bed of the river and mitigate flooding. This has resulted in the river being straightened and canalized between ramparts of dredge material making access to the river difficult and compromising its value as a public amenity.

The river is an important spawning channel forsalmonandtroutand a notedfisheryin its own right for both species.