In ancient times, the River Moyola was known as the 'Bior', and served as the border between the Airgiallan kingdoms of Fir Li and Ui Tuirtri.

Glengomma Water River a mountain stream which flows from near the Glenelly Valley down towards the Moyola where it joins at Sixtowns.

The catchment area to the gauging station is 304 square kilometres (117 sq mi), which yields an average flow of 8.4 cubic metres per second (300 cu ft/s).

[7] The river is mentioned frequently in the poetry of Seamus Heaney, such as Gifts of Rain and A New Song,[8] Whitby-sur-Moyola[9] and Moyulla.

[10] Critic Daniel Tobin suggests that for Heaney his "childhood river, Moyola, is not unlike Wordsworth's Derwent.