Lough Beagh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lough Beagh |
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 Location in island of Ireland
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| Location | County Donegal |
| Coordinates | 55°2′24″N 7°58′22″W / 55.04000°N 7.97278°W |
| Lake type | Glacial lake |
| Native name | Loch Ghleann Bheatha Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help) |
| Primary inflows | Owenbeagh River |
| Primary outflows | Owencarrow River |
| Catchment area | 36.88 km2 (14.2 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Ireland |
| Max. length | 6.5 km (4 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.8 km (0.5 mi) |
| Surface area | 2.61 km2 (1.01 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 9.2 m (30 ft) |
| Max. depth | 46.5 m (153 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 45.3 m (149 ft) |
Lough Beagh (also called Loch Ghleann Bheatha in Irish) is a beautiful freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. It's also known as Lough Veagh. You can find it in the northern part of County Donegal, and it's a big part of the amazing Glenveagh National Park.
Where is Lough Beagh?
Lough Beagh is located about 24 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Letterkenny. The lake is about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) long. It is also about 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles) wide.
The lake sits in the narrow Glenveagh valley. This valley is surrounded by the Derryveagh Mountains and the Glendowan Mountains. Tall granite cliffs rise up on both sides of the lake. These cliffs can be as high as 300 meters (980 feet). At the northern end of the lake, you can see many small islands.
How Water Flows In and Out
Lough Beagh gets most of its water from the Owenbeagh River. This river flows into the lake at its southern end. The water then flows out of the lake towards the north. It leaves through the Owencarrow River. The Owencarrow River connects Lough Beagh to another similar lake to its north, called Glen Lough.
Wildlife in the Lake
Lough Beagh is home to many different kinds of fish. These include brown trout, which can also be sea trout. You might also find Arctic char and Atlantic salmon. Smaller fish like minnow live here too. The critically endangered European eel also calls this lake home.
Many birds visit the lake as well. One special bird is the migrating red-throated diver. You might also spot the golden eagle. These eagles have been brought back to the area after being gone for a while.
A Look Back in Time
Lough Beagh has a long history. It is even mentioned in an old Irish book called the Annals of the Four Masters. Around the year 1540, the sons of the O'Donnell dynasty were said to have controlled a "crannog" on Loch Veagh. A crannog is a type of ancient island fort. From this fort, they caused a lot of trouble in the surrounding country.
