Glenamaddy Turlough
Encyclopedia
The Glenamaddy Turlough is located east of the town of Glenamaddy
, County Galway
in Ireland
. A turlough
is a seasonal lake which usually dries up in summer. Glenamaddy Turlough lies alongside the R362
regional road in the outskirts of the town, and there is a car park and viewing area on the lake-shore.
The town of Glenamaddy is reputed to get its name from the shape of the lake in winter, which is said to resemble a dog.
, which can be seen wheeling about in huge flocks. The Greenland White-fronted goose
also comes but they number only 70 - 100 each winter. They breed in Greenland
and over half their world population winters in Ireland
. More than 200 Whooper swan
s also spend the winter in Glenamaddy; these are unlike the common swan which resides in Ireland all year. The turlough in winter is also home to Wigeon
, Curlew
and Lapwing
amongst many other birds.
Glenamaddy
Glenamaddy is a small town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies at the crossroads where the R362 and R364 regional roads intersect.Glenamaddy is the most important town in the northeastern corner of County Galway. It became the musical capital of Connacht during the 1960s when the Showband craze...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. A turlough
Turlough (lake)
A turlough, or turlach, is a unique type of disappearing lake found mostly in limestone areas of Ireland, west of the River Shannon. The name comes from the Irish "tuar", meaning dry, with the suffix "lach", meaning a place . The "lach" suffix is often mistakenly spelled and/or thought to refer to...
is a seasonal lake which usually dries up in summer. Glenamaddy Turlough lies alongside the R362
R362 road
The R362 road is a regional road in Ireland linking Dunmore on the N83 with the N6 at Athlone. It passes through Glenamaddy, Creggs, Athleague and Curraghboy en route.The road is long.-References:* – Department of Transport...
regional road in the outskirts of the town, and there is a car park and viewing area on the lake-shore.
The town of Glenamaddy is reputed to get its name from the shape of the lake in winter, which is said to resemble a dog.
Wildlife
Many thousands of waterfowl come here each winter for food and shelter. Most numerous are the Golden PloverEurasian Golden Plover
The European Golden Plover is a largish plover. This species is similar to two other golden plovers. American Golden Plover, Pluvialis dominiica, and Pacific Golden Plover, Pluvialis fulva, are both smaller, slimmer and relatively longer-legged than European Golden Plover, and both have grey...
, which can be seen wheeling about in huge flocks. The Greenland White-fronted goose
White-fronted Goose
The Greater White-fronted Goose is a species of goose. The Greater White-fronted Goose is more closely related to the smaller Lesser White-fronted Goose...
also comes but they number only 70 - 100 each winter. They breed in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
and over half their world population winters in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. More than 200 Whooper swan
Whooper Swan
The Whooper Swan , Cygnus cygnus, is a large Northern Hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American Trumpeter Swan. An old name for the Whooper Swan is Elk; it is so called in Francis Willughby and John Ray's Ornithology of 1676.-Description:The Whooper Swan is similar in...
s also spend the winter in Glenamaddy; these are unlike the common swan which resides in Ireland all year. The turlough in winter is also home to Wigeon
Wigeon
The Eurasian Wigeon, also known as Widgeon or Eurasian Widgeon is one of three species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. It is common and widespread within its range...
, Curlew
Curlew
The curlews , genus Numenius, are a group of eight species of birds, characterised by long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills...
and Lapwing
Lapwing
Vanellinae are any of various crested plovers, family Charadriidae, noted for its slow, irregular wingbeat in flight and a shrill, wailing cry. Its length is 10-16 inches. They are a subfamily of medium-sized wading birds which also includes the plovers and dotterels. The Vanellinae are...
amongst many other birds.