River Avoca

The Avoca (Abhainn Abhóca; historically Abhainn Mhór / Abhainn Dé) is a river in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is contained completely within the county. The Avoca starts life as two rivers, the Avonmore and the Avonbeg. These join together at a spot called the Meeting of the Waters (Cumar an dá Uisce) in the Vale of Avoca, which is considered a local beauty spot, and was celebrated by Thomas Moore in his song of the same name. ''There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet,

''As the vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet;

''Oh, the last rays of feeling and life must depart,

Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart.

The village of Avoca is situated on the river.

The Avoca flows into the Irish Sea at Arklow where it widens into a large estuary, giving Arklow its Irish language name an t-Inbhear Mór (the big inlet).

Industry
The valley of the Avoca has a large copper mine, and further downstream was the NET fertiliser factory (closed since 2002). These are said to have contributed greatly to pollution in the lower reaches of the river.

Transport
The railway line from Dublin to Wexford (and Rosslare) also passes along the Vale of Avoca, cutting inland from its mainly coastal route and the R752 road tightly follows the west bank of the Avoca from The Meetings to Arklow.