The distribution of Austropotamobius pallipes, the only freshwater crayfish recorded from Ireland and presumed to be an old native, is described using some 300 records collected since 1976: the positive and negative loci from regularly sampled rivers and streams are used to provide a baseline from which any future changes in distribution can be monitored. Although absent from some regions, most notably the south-west (south of the Dingle-Dungarvan line) and north-west (County Donegal), crayfish are widely spread in the country principally in Carboniferous Limestone areas. The natural chemistry characteristics of the river and stream sites supporting crayfish had the following ranges: pH 7.2 - 8.4, alkalinity 34 - 356 mg/l and hardness 47 - 402 mg/l. Factors which might be important in influencing distribution of A. pallipes in Ireland, including pollution, predation and disease, are discussed.