The Six Mile Water is a river in southern
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
. It is an indirect tributary of the
River Bann
The River Bann (from , meaning "the goddess"; Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Bann Wattèr'') is the longest rivers, river in Northern Ireland, its length, Upper and Lower Bann combined, being 129 km (80 mi). The total length ...
, via
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh ( ; ) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake on the island of Ireland and in the British Isles. It has a surface area of and is about long and wide. According to Northern Ireland Water, it supplies 4 ...
.
Name
The river was historically called the ''Ollarbha'' and is known in
Irish as ''Abhainn na bhFiodh'' ("river of the woods"), which was formerly anglicized 'Owenaview'.
Accounts vary as to the origin of the name. The river is almost long rather than six. It is said to be named from a crossing point six
Irish miles from Antrim, on the road to Carrickfergus.
Another story is that it was named by English soldiers, who calculated that it was a six-mile march from
Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Castle (from the Irish ''Carraig Ḟergus'' or "cairn of Fergus", the name "Fergus" meaning "strong man") is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of B ...
to the ford at
Ballyclare
Ballyclare () is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 10,850 according to the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census, and is located within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It is part of, and ...
.
Course and catchment
It rises in the hills west of
Larne
Larne (, , the name of a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic territory)[Larne/Latharna]
Placenames Database of Ireland. is a to ...
and north of
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus ( , meaning " Fergus' rock") is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 28,141 at the 2021 census. It is County Antrim's oldest t ...
and descends gently westward, flowing through or close to the communities of
Ballynure
Ballynure () is a village and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish near Ballyclare in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is part of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and had a population of 677 people in the 2001 United Kingdom census ...
,
Ballyclare
Ballyclare () is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 10,850 according to the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census, and is located within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It is part of, and ...
,
Doagh
Doagh ( ; ) is a village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is in the Six Mile Water Valley, about two miles south-west of Ballyclare, and had a population of 1,404 people in the 2021 census. It is known as ''Doach'' in Ulster ...
,
Parkgate,
Templepatrick
Templepatrick (; ) is a village and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast, and halfway between the towns of Ballyclare and Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim. It is also close to Belfa ...
,
Dunadry
Dunadry () is a hamlet and townland (of 657 acres) 3 miles (5 km) from Antrim in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the civil parish of Grange of Nilteen and the historic barony of Antrim Upper. It is within the Antrim a ...
and
Antrim into Lough Neagh. A weir exists at Ballyclare where water was diverted to the
paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags, and other ingredients. Prior to the invention and adoption of the Fourdrinier machine and other types of paper machine that use an endless belt ...
. The Six Mile Water Park was constructed around the river in Ballyclare, in order that the river's frequent floods would not affect houses in the area. It has a catchment of 117 square miles.
Culture
The river is the subject of the song "Six Mile Water", by the Metal band
Therapy?
Therapy? are a Northern Irish rock band from Larne, formed in 1989 by guitarist-vocalist Andy Cairns and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing. Therapy? recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar. To complete the lineup, the band ...
. It appeared on their fifth full-length album ''
Suicide Pact – You First
''Suicide Pact – You First'' is the fifth full-length album by the band Therapy?, and the first to be released by their third record company Ark21, following the demise of the band's previous label. It was released on 18 October 1999 a ...
'' released in 1999.
See also
*
List of rivers of Ireland
This is an alphabetical list of the main rivers on the island of Ireland. It includes rivers that flow through the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Rivers that flow through Northern Ireland are marked with an asterisk (*). There are ove ...
References
External links
Geograph – Bridge over Six Mile Water, Antrim Photograph
{{authority control
Rivers of County Antrim