This is an alphabetical list of loughs (lakes) on the island of Ireland. It also shows a table of the largest loughs. The word lough is pronounced like loch (/lɒk, lɒx/) and comes from the Irish loch, meaning lake.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are an estimated 12,000 lakes in the Republic of Ireland, covering an area of more than 1,200 square kilometres.[1] The largest lough, by area, in Ireland is Lough Neagh. Lough Corrib is the second largest, and is the largest in the Republic. The largest lough, by water volume, is Lough Neagh, with Lough Mask being the largest in the Republic.
The list below contains only those loughs that are of geographic, geological, or historical importance and almost all of them are over a square kilometre in area. It includes loughs that are in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Those partly or wholly within Northern Ireland are marked with an asterisk (*).
Largest Irish lakes
editThe largest freshwater loughs in Ireland are:[2][3][4]
| Rank (by area) | Lake | Area km2 (sq mi) | Mean Depth m (ft) |
Max Depth m (ft) |
Volume ×106m3 (×106cu ft) |
Shoreline km (mi)[5] |
County/Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lough Neagh* | 396 (153) | 9.0 (29.5) | 25 (82) | 3,528 (124,600) | 186 (116) | Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone, Londonderry |
| 2 | Lough Corrib[6] | 176 (68) | 6.5 (21) | 50.9 (167) | 1,158 (40,900) | 392 (244) | Galway and Mayo |
| 3 | Lough Derg (Shannon)[7] | 130 (50) | 7.6 (25) | 36 (118) | 988 (34,900) | 229 (142) | Tipperary, Clare and Galway |
| 4 | Lower Lough Erne*[8] | 109 (42) | 11.9 (39) | 69 (226) | 1,300 (46,000) | 270 (170) | Fermanagh |
| 5 | Lough Ree[9] | 105 (41) | 6.2 (20) | 35 (115) | 651 (23,000) | 192 (119) | Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath |
| 6 | Lough Mask[10] | 83 (32) | 15.0 (49.2) | 58 (190) | 1,300 (46,000)[11] | 192 (119) | Mayo and Galway |
| 7 | Lough Conn[12] | 50 (19) | 7.0 (23.0) | 34 (112) | 350 (12,000) | 108 (67) | Mayo |
| 8 | Lough Allen[13] | 35 (14) | 10.9 (36) | 42.7 (140) | 391 (13,800) | 53 (33) | Leitrim and Roscommon |
| 9 | Upper Lough Erne*[14] | 34 (13) | 2.3 (7.5) | 27 (89) | 79 (2,800) | 255 (158) | Fermanagh |
| 10 | Lough Melvin*[15] | 23 (8.9) | 7.8 (26) | 44 (144) | 175 (6,200) | 54 (34) | Fermanagh and Leitrim |
| 11 | Lough Leane[16] | 20 (7.7) | 13.4 (44) | 60 (200) | 269 (9,500) | 51 (32) | Kerry |
| 12 | Poulaphouca Reservoir[17] | 20 (7.7) | 6.8 (22) | 135 (4,800) | 64 (40) | Wicklow | |
| 13 | Lough Sheelin[18] | 19 (7.3) | 4.4 (14) | 15 (49) | 83.6 (2,950) | 36 (22) | Westmeath, Cavan, Meath |
| 14 | Lough Carra | 16 (6.2) | 1.8 (5.9) | 18 (59) | 28.8 (1,020) | 75 (47) | County Mayo |
Muckross Lake (the middle lake of the Killarney lakes) is the deepest Irish lake, with a maximum depth of 75 metres.[19]
(Volume = Area * Mean Depth)
Freshwater lakes
edit
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_263779.jpg)
Lakes with the county/counties where they are situated and their area in square kilometres. Most of the Republic of Ireland lake areas are taken from the Environmental Protection Agency's A Reference based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes (pp. 10–13)[20]
| Lake | County | Area (km2) | Area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lough Acoose | County Kerry | 0.66 | 0.25 |
| Lough Aleck More | County Donegal | 0.61 | 0.24 |
| Lough Alewnaghta | County Clare and County Galway | 0.55 | 0.21 |
| Lough Allen | County Leitrim | 33.6 | 13.0 |
| Lough Allua | County Cork | 1.36 | 0.53 |
| Lough Anaserd | County Galway | 0.87 | 0.34 |
| Annaghmore Lough | County Roscommon | 0.53 | 0.20 |
| Lough Anure | County Donegal | 1.59 | 0.61 |
| Ardderry Lough | County Galway | 0.81 | 0.31 |
| Lough Arrow | County Sligo and County Roscommon | 12.47 | 4.81 |
| Lough Atedaun | County Clare | 0.38 | 0.15 |
| Lough Atorick | County Clare | 1 | 0.39 |
| Aughrusbeg Lough | County Galway | 0.5 | 0.19 |
| Ballycuirke Lough | County Galway | 0.74 | 0.29 |
| Ballynahinch Lake | County Galway | 1.7 | 0.66 |
| Ballysaggart Lough | County Tyrone* | ||
| Lough Bane | County Meath and Westmeath | 0.75 | 0.29 |
| Lough Barra | County Donegal | 0.63 | 0.24 |
| Lough Beg | County Londonderry and County Antrim* | 4.7 | 1.8 |
| Belhavel Lough | County Leitrim | 1.01 | 0.39 |
| Lough Beltra | County Mayo | 4.1 | 1.6 |
| Lough Boderg | County Roscommon and County Leitrim | 5.1 | 2.0 |
| Lough Bofin | County Galway | 0.92 | 0.36 |
| Lough Bofin | County Leitrim and County Roscommon | 2.6 | 1.0 |
| Lough Brackley | County Cavan | 1.7 | 0.66 |
| Lough Bunny | County Clare | 1.03 | 0.40 |
| Cam Lough | County Armagh | 0.72 | 0.28 |
| Caragh Lake | County Kerry | 4.9 | 1.9 |
| Lough Carra | County Mayo | 15.6 | 6.0 |
| Carrigadrohid Lake | County Cork | 5.8 | 2.2 |
| Carrickaport Lough | County Leitrim | 0.46 | 0.18 |
| Carrowmore Lake | County Mayo | 9.3 | 3.6 |
| Castlefore Lough | County Leitrim | 0.21 | 0.081 |
| Cavetown Lough | County Roscommon | 0.64 | 0.25 |
| Clea Lake | County Armagh* | ||
| Cloonacleigha Lough | County Sligo | 0.62 | 0.24 |
| Cloonagh Lough | County Roscommon | 0.71 | 0.27 |
| Cloonaghlin Lough | County Kerry | 1.28 | 0.49 |
| Middle Cloonee Lough | County Kerry | 0.71 | 0.27 |
| Lough Conn | County Mayo | 48.5 | 18.7 |
| Lough Conway | County Leitrim | 0.6 | 0.23 |
| Lough Corrib | County Galway and County Mayo | 172.9 | 66.8 |
| Lough Corry | County Roscommon | 1.5 | 0.58 |
| Lough Craghy | County Donegal | 0.5 | 0.19 |
| Cross Lough | County Mayo | 1.11 | 0.43 |
| Lough Cullaun | County Clare | 0.5 | 0.19 |
| Lough Cullaunyheeda | County Clare | 1.55 | 0.60 |
| Lough Cullin | County Mayo | 10.2 | 3.9 |
| Lough Currane | County Kerry | 10.4 | 4.0 |
| Lough Cutra | County Galway | 3.9 | 1.5 |
| Lough Dan | County Wicklow | 1 | 0.39 |
| Glendalough Upper Lake | County Wicklow | ||
| Lough Derg | Counties Clare, Galway and Tipperary | 122.2 | 47.2 |
| Lough Derg | County Donegal | 8.8 | 3.4 |
| Lough Derravaragh | County Westmeath | 9.1 | 3.5 |
| Derryclare Lough | County Galway | 2.24 | 0.86 |
| Doo Lough | County Clare | 1.3 | 0.50 |
| Doo Lough | County Mayo | 1.55 | 0.60 |
| Dromore Lough | County Clare | 0.49 | 0.19 |
| Drumaleague Lough | County Leitrim | 0.05 | 0.019 |
| Durnesh Lough | County Donegal | 0.70 | 0.27 |
| Lough Eidin (Drumharlow Lake) | County Roscommon | 2.8 | 1.1 |
| Dunglow Lough | County Donegal | 0.61 | 0.24 |
| Lough Dunlewey | County Donegal | 1.1 | 0.42 |
| Easky Lough | County Sligo | 1.2 | 0.46 |
| Lough Egish | County Monaghan | 1.2 | 0.46 |
| Enagh Lough | County Londonderry* | ||
| Lough Ennell | County Westmeath | 11.6 | 4.5 |
| Lower Lough Erne | County Fermanagh* | 109 | 42 |
| Upper Lough Erne | County Fermanagh* | 34 | 13 |
| Errit Lough | County Roscommon | 0.82 | 0.32 |
| Lough Eske | County Donegal | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| Lough Fee | County Galway | 1.74 | 0.67 |
| Lough Feeagh | County Mayo | 4 | 1.5 |
| Lough Fern | County Donegal | 1.81 | 0.70 |
| Lough Finn | County Donegal | 1.2 | 0.46 |
| Lough Forbes | County Longford | 3 | 1.2 |
| Lough Funshinagh | County Roscommon | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| Lough Furnace | County Mayo | 1.8 | 0.69 |
| Lough Gara | County Sligo | 12.6 | 4.9 |
| Garadice Lough | County Leitrim | 3.9 | 1.5 |
| Gartan Lough | County Donegal | 2.05 | 0.79 |
| Lough Gill | County Sligo | 13.8 | 5.3 |
| Lough Gill | County Kerry | 1.4 | 0.54 |
| Glanmore Lake | County Kerry | 0.57 | 0.22 |
| Glen Lough | County Donegal | 1.68 | 0.65 |
| Glenade Lough | County Leitrim | 0.7 | 0.27 |
| Glenbeg Lough | County Cork | 0.66 | 0.25 |
| Glencar Lough | County Leitrim and County Sligo | 1.2 | 0.46 |
| Glendollagh Lough | County Galway | 0.83 | 0.32 |
| Lough Glenicmurrin | County Galway | 1.7 | 0.66 |
| Lough Golagh | County Donegal | 0.6 | 0.23 |
| Lough Gowna | County Cavan and County Longford | 4.2 | 1.6 |
| Lough Graney | County Clare | 3.7 | 1.4 |
| Lough Guitane | County Kerry | 2.46 | 0.95 |
| Lough Gullion[21] | County Armagh | 1.3 | 0.50 |
| Lough Gur | County Limerick | 0.8 | 0.31 |
| Lough Inagh | County Galway | 3.1 | 1.2 |
| Inchicronan Lough | County Clare | 1.2 | 0.46 |
| Inchiquin Lough | County Clare | 1.08 | 0.42 |
| Inchiquin Lough | County Kerry | 0.77 | 0.30 |
| Lough Inniscarra | County Cork | 4.9 | 1.9 |
| Loughinisland | County Down* | ||
| Lough Iron | County Westmeath | ||
| Lough Island Reavy | County Down* | 1 | 0.39 |
| Islandeady Lough | County Mayo | 1.39 | 0.54 |
| Keshcarrigan Lough | County Leitrim | 0.39 | 0.15 |
| Lough Key | County Roscommon | 8.9 | 3.4 |
| Kilglass Lough | County Roscommon | 2.02 | 0.78 |
| Killinure Lough | County Westmeath | 2.6 | 1.0 |
| Kiltooris Lough | County Donegal | 0.43 | 0.17 |
| Lough Kinale | Counties Longford, Westmeath and Cavan | 1.95 | 0.75 |
| Kindrum Lough | County Donegal | 0.61 | 0.24 |
| Kylemore Lough | County Galway | 1.32 | 0.51 |
| Lady's Island Lake | County Wexford | 3 | 1.2 |
| Lough Leane | County Kerry | 19.78 | 7.64 |
| Lough Lene | County Westmeath | 4.2 | 1.6 |
| Lettercraffroe Lough | County Galway | 0.82 | 0.32 |
| Levally Lough | County Mayo | 1.23 | 0.47 |
| Lickeen Lough | County Clare | 0.84 | 0.32 |
| Lower Lough MacNean[22] | County Fermanagh | 4.6 | 1.8 |
| Upper Lough MacNean[23] | County Fermanagh*, County Cavan and County Leitrim | 10 | 3.9 |
| Lough Marrave | County Leitrim | 0.1 | 0.039 |
| Lough Mask | County Mayo and County Galway | 83.4 | 32.2 |
| Maumeen Lough | County Galway | 0.56 | 0.22 |
| Maumwee Lough | County Galway | 0.28 | 0.11 |
| Lough Meela | County Donegal | 0.57 | 0.22 |
| Lough Meelagh | County Roscommon | 1.16 | 0.45 |
| Lough Melvin | County Fermanagh* and County Leitrim | 22.1 | 8.5 |
| Lough Mourne | County Donegal | 0.67 | 0.26 |
| Muckanagh Lough | County Clare | 0.96 | 0.37 |
| Lough Muckno | County Monaghan | 3.6 | 1.4 |
| Muckross Lake | County Kerry | 2.7 | 1.0 |
| Lough Nacung Upper | County Donegal | 2.1 | 0.81 |
| Lough Nafooey | County Galway | 2.5 | 0.97 |
| Lough Neagh | Counties Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone and Londonderry | 396 | 153 |
| Lough O'Flynn | County Roscommon | 1.37 | 0.53 |
| Lough Oughter | County Cavan | 6.6 | 2.5 |
| Lough Owel | County Westmeath | 10.2 | 3.9 |
| Poulaphouca Reservoir | County Wicklow | 19.5 | 7.5 |
| Portmore Lough | County Antrim* | 2.86 | 1.10 |
| Lough Ramor | County Cavan | 7.1 | 2.7 |
| Lough Rea | County Galway | 3 | 1.2 |
| Lough Ree | County Westmeath, County Longford and County Roscommon | 106.1 | 41.0 |
| Rinn Lough | County Leitrim | 1.65 | 0.64 |
| Ross Lake | County Galway | 1.4 | 0.54 |
| Lough Scur | County Leitrim | 1.14 | 0.44 |
| Lough Sheelin | County Cavan, County Meath and County Westmeath | 18.2 | 7.0 |
| Lough Sheever | County Westmeath | ||
| Lough Shindilla | County Galway | 0.7 | 0.27 |
| Lough Sillan | County Cavan | 1.6 | 0.62 |
| Lough Skean | County Roscommon | 1.14 | 0.44 |
| St. John's Lough | County Leitrim | 1.46 | 0.56 |
| Tacumshin Lake | County Wexford | 3.2 | 1.2 |
| Lough Talt | County Sligo | 1.1 | 0.42 |
| Lough Tay | County Wicklow | 0.5 | 0.19 |
| Templehouse Lough | County Sligo | 1.2 | 0.46 |
| Upper Lake, Killarney | County Kerry | 1.7 | 0.66 |
| Upper Lough Skeagh | County Cavan | 0.61 | 0.24 |
| Urlaur Lough | County Mayo | 1.15 | 0.44 |
| Lough Veagh | County Donegal | 2.61 | 1.01 |
| White Lough | County Monaghan | 0.54 | 0.21 |
| Loughs Yganavan and Nambrackdarrig | County Kerry |
Brackish loughs
editAn example of a brackish lagoon is Lady's Island Lake, County Wexford
Turloughs
edit- Loughareema, County Antrim*
- Glenamaddy Turlough, County Galway
- Rahasane Turlough, County Galway
- Shannon Pot, County Cavan
Reservoirs
edit- Poulaphouca Reservoir, County Wicklow
- Silent Valley Reservoir, County Down*
- Spelga Reservoir, County Down*
- Vartry Reservoir, County Wicklow
Sea loughs
edit- Belfast Lough, between County Antrim and County Down*
- Strangford Lough, County Down*
- Lough Foyle, between County Donegal and County Londonderry*
- Galway Bay, County Galway
- Lough Hyne, County Cork
- Larne Lough, County Antrim*
- Lough Mahon, County Cork
- Shannon Estuary, Munster
- Tralee Bay, County Kerry
- Waterford Harbour, County Waterford
- Wexford Harbour, County Wexford
Fjords
edit- Carlingford Lough, between County Louth and County Down*
- Lough Swilly, County Donegal
- Killary Harbour, between County Mayo & County Galway
See also
edit
References
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lakes of Ireland.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lakes of Northern Ireland.
- ^ EPA Water Quality in Ireland 2010–2015, Section 3.1, page 27. Environmental Protection Agency, 2017. ISBN 978-1-84095-735-8.
- ^ Ordnance Survey Ireland: Mountains, Rivers and Lakes
- ^ Fishing in Ireland, Lough Derg
- ^ UK Environmental Change Network, Lough Erne
- ^ Ordnance Survey Ireland Generalised Rivers & Lakes dataset (attribute table)
- ^ Lagarosiphon major – An Aggressive Invasive Species in Lough Corrib
- ^ World Lake Database Archived 2015-06-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Heavily Modified Water Bodies – North Western River Basin District P.31 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ World Lake Database Archived 2015-06-21 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Mayo County Council P.8
- ^ Mayo County Council P.12
- ^ "The trophic status of Lough Conn" P.7 by Mayo County Council
- ^ EPA P158
- ^ Heavily Modified Water Bodies – North Western River Basin District P.29 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ EPA P159
- ^ North South Shared Aquatic Resource (NS Share) P.15[permanent dead link]
- ^ North South Shared Aquatic Resource (NS Share) P.16[permanent dead link]
- ^ Sampling fish for the Water Framework Directive P.3
- ^ Glen Fia: Lakes of Killarney
- ^ "A Reference Based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). 2006. pp. 10–13. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
- ^ Northern Ireland Environment Agency
- ^ Inland Fisheries of Ireland: Sampling Fish (Page 2)
- ^ Inland Fisheries of Ireland: Sampling Fish (Page 2)