Bunderry

The name Bunderye is listed in the Civil Survey of Wexford of 1654-56, it’s a place along the barony and county bounds and listed in the description of same.

Here it is, this photo taken from the Carlow bank with Wexford on the far side. The larger Slaney river is flowing from the left and the Derry from the right, this is the foot of the Derry or Bunderry/ Bun Doire, not that the name is in use now as far as I know. Of course, the town of Bunclody or the foot of the Clody lies not far downstream where the Clody likewise enters the Slaney.

It’s a common enough term, there are several places called Bunowen or Bun Abhann, the foot of the river around the country. Likewise ‘barr’ is used the head or source of a river and thus we have Bareclodithe/ Barrclody or places like Barr na bhFiodáin and so on.

The Slaney & Derry both carry salmon & trout and the fishing stand name for the jutting angle where the Slaney and Derry meet was called the Pulpit. Another curious feature of this spot is the differing water temperature of the rivers, when swimming here the wider Slaney tends to be of a certain warmth but as you ferryglide across into the flow of the Derry, you get a sudden chill.

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