Lough Derravaragh
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Lough Derravaragh | |
---|---|
Loch Dairbhreach ( River Inny | |
Catchment area | 559.23 km2 (215.92 sq mi) |
Basin countries | Ireland |
Max. length | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
Max. width | 4 km (2.5 mi) |
Surface area | 9.14 km2 (3.53 sq mi; 2,260 acres) |
Max. depth | 23 m (75 ft) |
Surface elevation | 61 m (200 ft) |
References | [1][2] |
Designated | 7 June 1996 |
Reference no. | 847[3] |
Lough Derravaragh (Irish: Loch Dairbhreach) is a lake in County Westmeath, Ireland, north of Mullingar between Castlepollard, Crookedwood and Multyfarnham.
Lough Derravaragh sits on the
History
There are
Knockeyon, the hill of Saint Eyon, is located on the south-eastern shore of the lough, rising steeply to 215 metres. Halfway up the hill are the ruins of the ancient Saint Cauragh chapel, built and dedicated to Saint Eyon. The ruins of Saint Cauragh's Well are adjacent to the chapel.
On the
Legends
Children of Lír
Lough Derravaragh is best known for its connection with the Irish legend of the
Saint Cauragh
Legend tells that Saint Cauragh was expelled by Saint
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. He became seriously ill at a later stage, and was dying when he prayed to God for water to quench his thirst. Having prayed for some time, he became aware of 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 cured as a result, and then he built the chapel.
During the Middle Ages, thousands of people visited this well on the first Sunday of harvest, undertaking the pilgrimage 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.
Protected areas
Lough Derravaragh is north of Mullingar and is part of the Lough Derravaragh Natural Heritage Area.[4] Most of this area comprises the lake, but also it includes a variety of wetland, grassland, and woodland 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 of the
Much of the high bog possesses vegetation typical of an Irish Midland raised bog, with such species as ling heather (
A notable feature of Lough Derravaragh, as found at Lough Lene, are the range of
The lake shore is a mineral-rich substrate and several plant species of poor fen habitats occur in abundance, such as black bog rush Schoenus nigricans and long-stalked yellow-sedge Carlex lepidocarpa.
Lough Derravaragh is also a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Bird Directive (EC/79/409).
The rare
Water sports
The lake is used for canoeing and other water activities. As in Lough Ennell, Lough Owel, and Lough Lene, the lake acts as an important amenity for anglers, as it sustains a population of brown trout.
See also
- List of loughs in Ireland
References
- ^ Free, Gary; Little, Ruth; Tierney, Deirdre; Donnelly, Karol & Caroni, Rossana (2006). A Reference Based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes (PDF) (Report). Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). p. 11. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Lough Derravaragh SPA". National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland). Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ "Lough Derravaragh". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ "Lough Derravaragh NHA". National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland). Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ European Commission (2010). "The Birds Directive" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- ^ "Red Lists". National Parks and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 7 June 2014.