Gort River/Gort, Kilmacduagh and Kiltartan

The Gort river is an excellent example of a subterranean river. Two miles S.W. of Lough Cutra the river is swallowed up by the limestone at the Devil's Punchbowl. Other features along its course are the Blackweir, the Ladle, the Churn and Pollduagh. The latter is a magnificent naturally-formed arch. The river flows towards towards Gort, forming the island in the convent grounds and the island on which the old barracks was situated. In 2010, European divers traversed two miles of water-filled underground caves in the Kiltartan section of the river. This is believed to be the longest in Ireland and Britain. After forming Coole Lake, the river sinks again and emerges in Galway Bay, at Kinvara.