Lough Derravaragh
Encyclopedia
Lough
A lough is a body of water and is either:* A lake* A sea lough, which may be a fjord, estuary, bay, or sea inlet.It can also be used as a surname, with various pronunciations: law, loch, low, lowe, loth, loff....
(lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
) in County Westmeath
County Westmeath
-Economy:Westmeath has a strong agricultural economy. Initially, development occurred around the major market centres of Mullingar, Moate, and Kinnegad. Athlone developed due to its military significance, and its strategic location on the main Dublin–Galway route across the River Shannon. Mullingar...
, Republic of 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,...
, north of Mullingar
Mullingar
Mullingar is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act of 1542, proclaimed Westmeath a county, separating it from Meath. Mullingar became the administrative centre for County Westmeath...
between Castlepollard
Castlepollard
Castlepollard is a large village in north County Westmeath, Ireland. Located in the barony of Demifore, in the civil parish of Rathgarve, it lies west of Lough Lene and northeast of Lough Derravaragh and Mullingar.-Name:...
, Collinstown
Collinstown
Collinstown is an expanding village in County Westmeath, situated on the R395 regional road 18 km northeast of the county town of Mullingar. Collinstown is in St Mary's parish and has a population of approaching 700.-Name:...
, Crookedwood
Crookedwood
Crookedwood is a small village in County Westmeath on the R394 regional road.Overlooked by the dominating hill of Knockeyon to the north, the village rests between the pine-covered hills as they roll down towards Lough Derravaragh, and located about 8 km north of Mullingar, at the...
and Multyfarnham
Multyfarnham
Multyfarnham or Multyfarnam is a village in County Westmeath, Ireland.-History:The Irish Franciscan friars still maintain a presence in the ancient monastery here which was founded in 1268. During the English conquest of Ireland it was raided six times and twice burnt out by the Crown forces...
. Knockeyon
Knockeyon
Knockeyon is a hill in County Westmeath, Ireland. When viewed from the Ranaghan, and Gillards-town side of the hill, it dominates the surrounding lakes in the countryside of northern County Westmeath.-Location:...
, 214 m high, one of the highest points in Westmeath, situated on the southeastern lake shore, dominates the surrounding countryside.
Lough Derravaragh sits on the River Inny
River Inny
The River Inny is a river in Ireland. It flows from Lough Kinale under the Bridge of Finea into Lough Sheelin in County Cavan and heads south to Lough Derravaragh...
which flows from Lough Sheelin
Lough Sheelin
Lough Sheelin is a limestone freshwater lough in Ireland located in County Westmeath, County Meath and County Cavan near the village of Finea and the town of Granard County Longford....
on its way to the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
. Shaped somewhat like Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, it is a popular lake for angling
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
and other watersports. The main public area is at Donore
Donore
Donore is a small village in County Meath, Rep. of Ireland, near Drogheda. It is situated on the Meath–Louth border in the Boyne Valley on the route between Drogheda and the Bru na Boinne interpretive centre which is the point of access to Newgrange...
near Multyfarnham
Multyfarnham
Multyfarnham or Multyfarnam is a village in County Westmeath, Ireland.-History:The Irish Franciscan friars still maintain a presence in the ancient monastery here which was founded in 1268. During the English conquest of Ireland it was raided six times and twice burnt out by the Crown forces...
, where there is a caravan park and shop restaurant open in summer.
Legend
Lough Derravaragh is best known for its connection with the Irish legend of the Children of LírChildren of Lir
The Children of Lir is an Irish legend. The original Irish title is Clann Lir or Leannaí Lir, but Lir is the genitive case of Lear. Lir is more often used as the name of the character in English...
(Irish: Oidheadh Chlainne Lír). According to the legend, after being turned into swans, the four children of King Lír
Lir
Ler or Lir is a sea god in Irish mythology. His name suggests that he is a personification of the sea, rather than a distinct deity. He is named Allód in early genealogies, and corresponds to the Llŷr of Welsh mythology...
spent 300 years on Lough Derravaragh before moving to the Straits of Moyle
Straits of Moyle
The Straits of Moyle or Sea of Moyle is the name given to the narrowest expanse of sea in the North Channel between northeastern Ireland and southwestern Scotland...
for 300 years, (between Ireland and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
), 300 years on the Atlantic by Erris
Erris
Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name Erris derives from the Irish 'Iar Ros' meaning 'western...
and Inisglora. The enchantment would end, when a woman from the south would mate a man from the north.
To the east, of Lough Derravaragh, within the hills of Ranaghan
Ranaghan
-Introduction:A townland south-west of Lough Lene positioned on high ground where there are a multitude of ringforts, Randoon possibly the most famous fort of the area , is situated between Castlepollard and Collinstown...
, are Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
ringforts.
Turgesius
Turgesius
Turgesius was a Viking chief active in Ireland who is said to have conquered Dublin. It is not at all clear whether the names in the Irish annals represent the Old Norse Thurgestr or Thorgísl...
the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
, renowned for taking Dublin, also possessed strongholds nearby, southwest of Lough Lene
Lough Lene
Lough Lene is a lake situated in north County Westmeath, Ireland, between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown and Fore....
.
Historic
KnockeyonKnockeyon
Knockeyon is a hill in County Westmeath, Ireland. When viewed from the Ranaghan, and Gillards-town side of the hill, it dominates the surrounding lakes in the countryside of northern County Westmeath.-Location:...
or the hill of St Eyon is located on the south-eastern shore, rising steeply to seven hundred feet.
Situated half way up the slope of the hill, there remains the ruins of an ancient, St Cauragh chapel, built and dedicated to St Eyon. The chapel was cut out of the natural rock, and is believed to have never possessed a roof. Adjacent to this chapel are the ruins of St Cauragh's Well, its waters were believed to be miraculous.
From generation to generation, legend tells that St Cauragh was expelled by St Columcille from the Kells
Abbey of Kells
The Abbey of Kells is a former monastery located in Kells, County Meath, Ireland, 40 miles north of Dublin. It was founded in the early ninth century, and the Book of Kells was kept there during the later medieval and early modern periods before finally leaving the Abbey in the 1650s...
monastery, for breach of discipline. Consequently, he wandered throughout the countryside until he eventually arrived at Knockeyon.
At this location, far away from the eyes of the world, Cauragh desired to pass the remainder of his life praying to God and fasting
Fasting
Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day , or several days. Other fasts may be only partially restrictive,...
. He became seriously ill, at a later stage, and was dying when he prayed to God for a drop of water to quench his thirst. Having prayed for some time, he became aware by the sound of water trickling out of the rock above his head. He put out his hand and drank freely of this miraculous water. He was as a result cured, and it was successive to this miracle that he built the chapel.
During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, thousands of people visited this well on the first Sunday of harvest, undertaking the pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
up the hill barefoot, on what became known as Cauragh Sunday . When the pilgrimage concluded, everyone present adjourned to a green area at the foot of the hill where musicians played and everyone spent the remainder of the day picnicking, drinking and dancing.
On the Kiltoom side of the lough mounds of stone can be found, these were part of artificial island
Artificial island
An artificial island or man-made island is an island or archipelago that has been constructed by people rather than formed by natural means...
s and gave protection to the people who lived in crannóg
Crannog
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
s on these islands. In the 1970s a dug-out canoe from the Stone Age was recovered from the lake by employees of the Tullynally estate.
Lough Derravaragh, National Habitat Area
Lough Derravaragh is located north of Mullingar and is surrounded by the communities of Clonva, Derrya, Kiltoom, Donore, Ballynakill, StreamstownStreamstown
Streamstown is a town in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is close to the large town of Mullingar. Streamstown was historically called Ballintruhan, which is an anglicisation of its Irish name....
and Knockbody in the north of County Westmeath. Most of this area comprises the lake, but also it includes a variety of wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
, grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
habitats. The site includes a small area of raised bog. The site is bound in the northwest by the River Inny.
The Inny, which is a major tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
, flows into and from Lough Derravaragh on its northwest shore. On this side, the lake is wide and shallow and raised bog and cutover is found within the immediate surrounding area. Lough Derravaragh is shallow and it water is "hard" and alkaline pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
. There is only a small area of raised bog on the side, but formerly it comprised a very large bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
complex which extended towards the northwest of the lake. Most of this area has now been cutover and large areas have been reclaimed for agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. The remaining area of bog has hummock/hollow complexes but no water pools. Conifers have been planted upon the high bog and a section of cutover. Cutover is found dispersed around the high bog areas and there is also a separate small area of old cutover (about km) south of this raised bog.
Much of the high bog possesses vegetation typical of an Irish Midland raised bog, with such species as Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris
Calluna
Calluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
) and Hare's tail Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum). The hummock-forming bog moss, Sphagnum papillosum has been recorded situated around one-third of the high bog as has the more scarce Sphagnum imbricatum. Overall, sphagnum covers around one-third of the high bog area. The centre of the bog is wet with stagnant water in places. The aquatic bog moss Sphagnum cuspidatum has been recorded in the hollows of the bog. There are dried-out channels of the bog which are colonised by algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
, Deergrass, Scirpus cespitosus and lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s. On the cutover on the southeast shore of the lake there are areas of Downy Birch, Betula pubescens
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
woodland, with patches of GorseUlex europaeus
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
A notable feature of Lough Derravaragh, as found at Lough Lene, are the range of Stoneworts, Charophytes that occur within the lake. To date eight species have been recorded here, several of which have a restricted range in Ireland. Fringing the lake's shores a range of habitats have been created as a result of drainage of the River Inny At the western side are extensive reed beds and swamps of Downy Birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
and willows Salix spp. Within proximity, there is also freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
marches vegetation dominated by sedges Carlex spp. and often tussock
Tussock
Tussock most often refers to a small hillock of grassy, or grass-like plant growth, but may also refer to Plants and ecology, Insects.- Plants and ecology :*Tussock *New Zealand tussock grasslands*Serrated Tussock...
-forming grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es such as Tufted Hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa and fescues Festuca spp, with a flowering herbs including Bidens cernua, and Trifid Bur-Marigold
Bidens tripartita
Bidens tripartita, commonly known as Three-lobe Beggarticks, Three-part Beggarticks, Leafy-bracted Beggarticks or Trifid Bur-marigold, is a flowering plant in the genus Bidens. It is native to large parts of the Northern hemisphere, including Europe, the Indian subcontinent, North America,...
.
The lake shore is a mineral
Mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid chemical substance formed through biogeochemical processes, having characteristic chemical composition, highly ordered atomic structure, and specific physical properties. By comparison, a rock is an aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids and does not...
-rich substrate and several plant species of poor fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
habitats occur in abundance, such as Black Bog rush Schoenus
Schoenus (plant)
Schoenus is a genus of sedges. Plants of this genus mainly occur in Australasia.Species include:*Schoenus acuminatus*Schoenus andrewsii*Schoenus armeria*Schoenus badius*Schoenus benthamii*Schoenus capillifolius...
nigricans and long-stalked Yellow-sedge Carlex lepidocarpa.
Three of the Greenland geese species which roost at these sites are listed on the Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive. The rare Charophyte, Chara denundata, has been recorded in the area and the 'Red Data Book' species otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
and Irish hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
have also been observed within the lake district area of North Westmeath.
Water sport activities
Local groups use the lake for canoeingCanoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and other water activities. As in Lough Ennell
Lough Ennell
Lough Ennell is a lake near the town of Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. It is situated beside the N52 road, off the Mullingar/Kilbeggan road. It is approximately 4.5 miles long by 2 miles wide, with an area of about...
, Lough Owel
Lough Owel
Lough Owel is a lough in the Midlands of Ireland, situated north of Mullingar, the county town of Westmeath. It is a deep lake, well known amongst anglers, and holds a few char along with brown trout. Water from Lough Owel feeds the Royal Canal, a canal crossing Ireland from Dublin to the River...
, and Lough Lene, the lake acts as an important amenity for anglers, as it sustains a population of brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
.