River Erne

The River Erne (/rn/ AIRN, Irish: Abhainn na hÉirne or An Éirne), which flows between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and forms part of their border, is the second-longest river in Ulster. The Erne begins three miles south of Cavan in County Cavan, Republic of Ireland, and runs 80 miles (129 kilometers) past Lough Gowna, Lough Oughter, and Upper and Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, to the sea at Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.

The River Erne is 120 kilometers long and has a variety of fisheries along the river and its tributaries for fly fishing for trout and salmon. Between Upper and Lower Lough Erne, Enniskillen is largely situated on an island in the river. The Shannon–Erne Waterway connects it to the River Shannon. Several spots along the Erne river, including Belturbet, Knockniny, Carrybridge, Bellanaleck, Enniskillen, and Killadeas, provide live-aboard pleasure cruisers.

Sections of the Erne are utilized for water skiing, bank fishing, trolling, jet skiing, and scuba diving, in addition to live aboard boating vacations. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board warns boaters that Upper Lough Erne is a tangle of tiny islands that need cautious navigation, while Lower Lough Erne waves can reach "open-sea dimensions."

Length: 129 km