Assaroe Falls ( ga, Eas Aoidh Ruadh, en, the waterfall of Red Hugh), also known as ''Cathaleen’s Falls'', was a

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...

on the

River Erne The River Erne ( , ga, Abhainn na hÉirne or ''An Éirne'') in the northwest of the island of Ireland, is the second-longest river in Ulster, flowing through Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and forming part of their border. ...

near

Ballyshannon Ballyshannon () is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located at the southern end of the county where the N3 from Dublin ends and the N15 crosses the River Erne. Incorporated in 1613, it is one of the oldest towns in Ireland. Location B ...

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It was named after Aodh Ruadh, who according to tradition, slipped and fell from the waterfall and drowned. Known for its beauty and famous salmon leap, the water was diverted for construction of the

Cathaleen's Fall hydroelectric power station Cathaleen's Fall hydroelectric power station is a hydroelectric plant located on the River Erne at Ballyshannon in County Donegal, Ireland. It is owned and operated by the ESB Group. The plant is also known as Ballyshannon. Construction Plans t ...

that was built in the town in the late 1940s and early 1950s. A dam was constructed upriver, known as Assaroe Lake, with a channel to lower the riverbed through the town to increase the head of water at the dam in order to drive the turbines. There is a campaign to restore the historic salmon leap at Assaroe Falls.

Annalistic references

* ''M836.17. A slaughter was made of the foreigners at Eas Ruaidh.''

Citations

{{reflist

References

* Twiss, Richard (1775)
''A Tour in Ireland''

Ireland Illustrated entry, National University of Ireland, Galway

Waterfalls of the Republic of Ireland Protected areas of County Donegal Landforms of County Donegal Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border