The Bandon rises at Nowen Hill (one of the Shehy Mountains), to the north of Drimoleague.

The river then flows to Dunmanway, before turning eastward towards the twin villages of Ballineen and Enniskean.

It then makes its way through the centre of Bandon town, and on to Innishannon and Kilmacsimon, before draining into Kinsale Harbour on Ireland's south coast.

The River Bandon is famous for its Atlantic salmon fishing: the biggest recorded salmon caught in Ireland since 1991 was landed by Bill Canning of Goresbridge, County Kilkenny on 7 July 2008.

Mr Canning's salmon weighed 28 lbs 3 oz (12.8 kg) and is on display in the Munster Arms hotel in Bandon town.