Lough Lene facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lough Lene Loch Léinn
Location in island of Ireland
Location	County Westmeath
Coordinates	53°39′53″N 7°14′13″W / 53.66472°N 7.23694°W / 53.66472; -7.23694
Type	Glacial lake
Basin countries	Ireland
Surface area	5 km2 (1.9 sq mi)
Surface elevation	97 m (318 ft)
Frozen	Winters of 1951, 1982, Jan & Dec. 2010
Islands	Nun's Island, Castle Island, Turgesius Island

Lough Lene (Irish: Loch Léinn) is a beautiful lake located in north County Westmeath, Ireland. It sits between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown, and Fore.

This lake has a very long and interesting history. You can find ancient burial sites and old ruins around its shores. There are also many old circular homes called ringforts that were once used by communities. Lough Lene is even connected to stories of kings and Vikings. A famous Viking leader named Turgesius had a fort overlooking the lake. He was later defeated by an Irish king named Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid.

The Lake's Name and Legends

The name of Lough Lene has been spelled in different ways over time, like Lane, Léin, and Leibhinn. Some people believe the name means "Lake of Learning." This idea connects to the nearby village of Fore, which was once known as a place of books and education.

However, another popular story says the lake was named after Léinn. She was the daughter of a mythical sea god called Manannán mac Lir. This legend links the lake to the famous Irish tale of the Children of Lir.

A Clear and Important Lake

Lough Lene is known for its incredibly clear, fresh water. Many people describe it as "gin clear" because you can see so deep into it. The lake is about 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) long and 1.7 kilometers (1 mile) wide. It sits about 97 meters (312 feet) above sea level and covers an area of about 500 hectares (1,235 acres).

This lake is very important to the local community. It provides drinking water for Collinstown and is a key part of the area's social life. It's also a popular spot for fun activities and holds a lot of local history.

Islands and Ancient Discoveries

Lough Lene has three main islands: Nun's Island, Castle Island, and Turgesius Island. Nun's Island was once home to a convent for nuns. The old Irish name for Collinstown, Baile na gCailleach, means "the town of the veiled women." This name referred to the nuns who lived on the island.

An ancient bell was found on Castle Island in 1881. This bell is now kept in the National Museum of Ireland. A smaller copy of this bell was given to Dáil Éireann (Ireland's parliament) in 1931. It is now used by the Ceann Comhairle, who is the chairperson of Dáil Éireann.

Surveys have shown that Nun's Island had a complex stone structure, possibly with ancient paths leading to it. Castle Island also showed signs of old wooden structures. In 1968, two ancient logboats were found in the lake. These boats were made of oak, yew, and willow. They were about 8 meters (26 feet) long and were used for fishing.

Lough Lene Today

Lough Lene is special because it was the first freshwater lake in Ireland to receive a Blue Flag award. This award means its water is very clean and pollution-free. The local farming communities work hard to keep the lake clean. They manage their farm waste carefully to protect this important water source and home for fish and wildlife.

The clear water of Lough Lene also serves as a water supply for many nearby villages. The local GAA club, which plays Irish sports, is even named the Lough Lene Gaels.

Fun Water Activities

Lough Lene is a great place for water sports! Swimming, sailing, and windsurfing are very popular here. There are dressing rooms and picnic areas available for visitors at a spot called "the Cut." This area is about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) north of the Collinstown cross-roads, on the east side of the lake.

Because the water is so clear and easy to access, "the Cut" is a favorite spot for swimming. Local triathlon clubs and swimming clubs often train and hold events here. In summer, the water temperature is usually around 17°C (63°F). A popular training swim is to Turgesius Island, which is exactly one mile from the slipway. While the lake is generally safe, strong westerly winds can create waves, so swimmers should stay close to shore during windy weather.

To keep the lake safe and peaceful, Jet-skis and water-skiing are not allowed on Lough Lene.

Protecting Nature: Special Areas of Conservation

Lough Lene is a very important natural area, protected by the European Union's Habitats Directive. This directive helps countries protect wildlife habitats. The lake is deep, reaching about 20 meters (65 feet) in some places. It is a clear hard water lake, meaning it has a lot of minerals, especially marl, which you can see along its shores.

The lake is home to many different water plants, like pondweeds and stoneworts. These plants are indicators of clean, hard-water lakes. Along the stony shore, you can find plants like spike-rush, marsh pennywort, and sedges. Some parts of the lakeshore have narrow fringes of common reed and common club-rush.

Near the lake, there are patches of wet woodland with willows, birch, and alder trees. These areas are rich in plant life. The ground under the trees at the northwestern end of the lake has peat mosses, bilberry, and heather. There are also areas of freshwater marsh and fen vegetation with plants like purple moor-grass and black bog-rush. A rare plant called round-leaved wintergreen also grows in one of these areas.

Bird Life

Lough Lene is a wonderful place for birdwatching! Many different bird species live here, including mute swans, teal, pochard, great crested grebes, little grebes, tufted ducks, grey herons, water rails, mallards, goldeneyes, cormorants, and wigeon.

The lands around the lake are home to birds like snipe, lapwing, and curlew. The pochard population is especially important. In some winters, there have been over 500 pochards on the lake, which is a nationally significant number.

Much of the lake shore is used by grazing animals like cattle, goats, sheep, and horses. Unpolluted hard-water lakes like Lough Lene are becoming rare in Ireland and Europe. This makes Lough Lene a very special and important habitat to protect.

Crayfish Population

Lough Lene used to have a large population of freshwater crayfish. These crayfish are an important species and are protected by the E.U. Habitats Directive. However, in 1987, a crayfish fungus plague caused them to disappear from the lake.

The species was brought back to the lake, and new breeding was recorded in 1995. Sadly, another outbreak of the crayfish fungus plague has caused the species to disappear from Lough Lene once again.

Gallery

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  Turgesius Island viewed from Randoon.

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  Windsurfing on the lough.

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  Lough Lene bathing pier