[LETTERHEAD OF KMPG LLP]
Independent Auditors' Consent
The Board of Directors
Hudson River Bancorp, Inc.
We consent to incorporation by reference in the Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus
of Hudson River Bancorp, Inc. to be filed on Form S-4 related to the merger
agreement with Cohoes Bancorp, Inc. of our report dated May 5, 2000, relating to
the consolidated balance sheets of Hudson River Bancorp, Inc. and subsidiary as
of March 31, 2000 and 1999, and the related consolidated income statements,
statements of changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the
years in the three-year period ended March 31, 2000, which report appears in the
March 31, 2000 Annual Report on Form 10-K of Hudson River Bancorp, Inc.
We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in the
Joint Proxy Statement/Prospectus.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Albany, New York
June 22, 2000
