BARROW  , a

river of south-eastern Ireland . It rises in the Slieve Bloom mountains, and flows at first easterly and then almost due south, until, on joining the Suir, it forms the estuary of the south coast known as Waterford Harbour . Including the 12 M. of the estuary, the length of its valley is rather more than Too m., without counting the lesser windings of the river . The total area of drainage to Waterford Harbour (including the basin of the Suir) is 3500 sq. m., and covers the whole of the county Kilkenny, with parts of Waterford, Cork and Limerick, Tipperary, Carlow, King's and Queen's counties . The chief towns on the banks of the Barrow are Athy (where it becomes navigable and has a junction with the Grand Canal), Carlow, Bagenalstown and New Ross . The chief affluent is the Nore, which it receives from the north-west a little above New Ross . The scenery on its banks is in parts very beautiful .