|
Ireland is rich in rivers and lakes. It makes the country the perfect sailing or fishing destination. Lakes in Ireland are called“ loughs” which is the Gaelic for “lake”. Confusingly, the word lough does not differentiate between seawater loughs and freshwater (inland) loughs.
Thus, for example, Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle, which are seawater inlets, appear the same as Lough Ree and Lough Erne, which are freshwater inland lakes.
Having the distinction of the longest river in the British Isles, Ireland also possesses the largest lake in the British Isles, Lough Neagh, in the province of Ulster. Lough Neagh is also among the 40 largest lakes in Europe.
Below we list the largest freshwater lakes in Ireland.
Lough Neagh 388 sq km
Lough Corrib 200 sq km
Lough Derg (Shannon ) 118 sq km
Lower Lough Erne 105 sq km
Lough Ree 105 sq km
Lough Mask 89 sq km
Lough Conn 57 sq km
Located in the heart of Northern Ireland, Lough Neagh is the largest lake in the British Isles, covering 388 square kilometers. Five counties (Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down and Tyrone) have shores on Lough Neagh and six rivers flow into it, while the Lower Bann River flows northward from the lake. Many local people make a living from Lough Neagh, from activities such as fishing, sand extraction and the tourism industry. The Lough even has its own place in Irish mythology, closely associated with “The Legend of Fionn Mac Cumhaill”. Lough Neagh is also very popular in terms of recreation, with many activities taking place regularly such as fishing, boating, canoeing, water-skiing, jet skiing, etc. Fishing is particularly popular with a wide variety of fish including trout, bream, rudd, roach, perch and pike.
Covering a total area of 200 square kilometers, Lough Corrib is the second largest lake in Ireland. It is located in the West of Ireland in Co. Galway and Co. Mayo and drains into the Corrib River which flows southward from Lough Corrib through Galway City. Set against the beautiful Connemara countryside, Lough Corrib is particularly noted for its abundance of wildlife such as otters, stoats, frogs, hawks, etc, and is excellent for bird-watching. Lough Corrib is believed to contain a total of 365 islands, many of which are dotted with houses and ancient ruins. Angling is popular on this lake and boat trips are readily available. In recent years, Lough Corrib has been at the centre of a major water pollution problem.
Lough Derg is the third major lake on the river Shannon and is located between counties Clare, Galway and Tipperary, all of which have shores on this lake. The lake itself covers 118 square kilometers and would be considered quite a long lake, measuring just less than 40 kilometers in length. It should not be confused with Lough Derg in Co. Donegal, which is better known as a pilgrimage site. Lough Derg (Shannon) is sometimes referred to as Ireland’s “ Pleasure Lake” due to the beautiful scenery, tranquil atmosphere, and the wide variety of activities to engage in. These include scuba-diving, fishing and numerous types of boating (canoeing, sailing, yachting, etc.).
Lough Erne consists of two separate lakes; Upper Lough Erne and Lower Lough Erne. These lakes are connected by the River Erne, and are located in the North West of Ireland, in Co. Fermanagh. Lough Erne contains 154 islands, and is described as an “historian’s paradise” due to the ancient ruins which are present on many of these islands, some of which date back to the 6 th century. Boat cruises are available in which these islands may be explored at will. Angling is highly popular in these lakes, as are numerous water-sports, the most popular of which are waterskiing and wakeboarding.
Lough Ree, second largest of the three major lakes on the River Shannon, is located in the Irish midlands and forms part of the border between counties Roscommon, Westmeath and Longford. Lough Ree has numerous islands, some of which are significant in Irish legend. For example, the island Inchcleraun is believed to have been the place where Queen Maeve was killed by her nephew Furbaide. Lough Ree Yacht Club is quite well known, claiming to be one of the oldest yacht clubs in the world, dating back to the year 1770, when it was founded. Other popular sports on Lough Ree include angling and power-boating.
Lough Mask, covering an area of 89 square kilometers, is situated in Co. Mayo and Co. Galway, several kilometers north of the larger Lough Corrib. The two lakes are connected via an underground stream and at times of high water by the Cong Canal. Lough Mask is home to several species of fish including pike and perch but the lake is unquestionably most well known for the plentiful supply of trout. Large trout weighing from 10 - 15 lbs attract anglers from all over the country (and abroad), making Lough Mask a highly popular fishing resort.
Lough Conn is located in Co. Mayo and covers an area of approximately 57 square kilometers. It’s linked sister lake, Lough Cullin, is situated directly to the south of Lough Conn and empties into the Moy River which enters the Atlantic Ocean at Killala Bay. Both lakes are closely associated with Celtic mythology as they are named after the two hounds ( Conn and Cullin) of the legendary warrior, Fionn Mac Cumhaill. Nearby towns include Castlebar, Ballina and Crossmolina. Lough Conn is also excellent for brown trout and salmon fishing, particularly from March to July.
|
