Overview
The River Feale (Irish: An Fhéil or Abhainn na Féile) rises on the southwestern slopes of the Mullaghareirk Mountains near Rockchapel in County Cork, then runs through County Limerick and County Kerry, passing the market towns of Abbeyfeale and Listowel before it widens toward Ballyduff and the Shannon Estuary. Near its mouth it takes a different name, the Cashen. It’s a spate river, and that’s the thing to understand about it: it runs clear over gravel in dry weather and turns dark and fast within hours of heavy rain.
History and folklore
The Feale is named for Fial, a woman of legend who, the story in Geoffrey Keating’s Foras Feasa ar Éirinn goes, drowned after her husband Lughaidh saw her bathing. In local geography it’s one of the ‘Three Sisters’ of the northwest, with the Maigue and the Deel: all three rise close together in the Mullaghareirks and flow into the Shannon basin, not to be confused with the better-known southern Three Sisters (the Barrow, Nore and Suir). The Feale has long been prized as a salmon river.
Angling: salmon and sea trout
The Feale is first and foremost a game fishery for salmon and sea trout. Inland Fisheries Ireland’s Feale guide lists catch and release for salmon in the 2026 season. Seasons, tackle restrictions and licence rules change, so check the current rules before fishing. That includes the season, tackle restrictions, the State salmon licence and the local permit or permission for the stretch you want. Current club-specific permits, access and trout rules are best confirmed with Inland Fisheries Ireland and the club.
Seasons and methods
Seasons, tackle and bag limits are set nationally and can change from year to year, so use the current salmon and sea trout rules rather than a printed list. Salmon fishing on the Feale is catch and release in 2026.
Fishing stretches and clubs
Much of the river is held by local angling clubs, and permits and access vary by stretch. Keep off private banks without permission and stay out of high water. Contact Inland Fisheries Ireland or the relevant club for current permit arrangements on the upper river towards Abbeyfeale, at Finuge, around Listowel and towards Mountcollins.
Walking and wildlife
Away from the fishing, the Feale corridor is quiet, unshowy country of heather bog, farmed valleys and rolling border hills. Steep, overgrown banks and gravel beds give cover to otters, kingfishers and waterfowl.
For an easy riverside walk, use the public path at Childers Park and Woodlands in Listowel, with its main entrance on Bridge Road. Stay on the path and keep back from the river where the banks are flooded or slippery. Listowel Castle, a 15th-century tower house, stands on the steep bank above the river.
The spate character cuts both ways. Levels can jump after rain, banks turn slippery, and water that was calm yesterday can be dangerous today, so stay out of high water.
Practical information
Check the Inland Fisheries Ireland guide for current licence and permit requirements before you fish.
Regulations and conservation
Inland Fisheries Ireland publishes the current salmon and sea trout regulations, including catch-and-release rules for salmon. Check them before you go.
Access and contacts
- Main access: the public riverside path at Childers Park in Listowel. Do not assume access to private banks.
- Inland Fisheries Ireland: see the Feale guide for current contacts.
Listowel makes the natural base, with pubs, beds and its autumn writers’ and music scene; Abbeyfeale sits closer to the upper river. Either way, because the Feale is a spate river, check recent conditions before you set off.