Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh in
Northern Ireland is the largest lake in the United Kingdom covering
over 150 square miles. Located around twenty miles west of the
capital city of Belfast, it measures around twenty miles long by nine
miles wide with a maximum depth of 80 feet. There is an estimated 800
billion gallons of water within Lough Neagh with levels controlled by
large flood gates at Toome. The Lough is owned by the Earl of
Shaftesbury who presently allows Northern Ireland Water to abstract
water for use by around 40% of the country‘s population. The
Lough is situated close to Belfast International Airport so visitors
flying into the country often get a fantastic bird’s eye view of
the Lough as they arrive. Six major rivers and around 40% of the land
in Northern Ireland drains into Lough Neagh. The rivers of
Blackwater, Ballinderry, Moyola, Six Mile Water, Main and Upper Bann
all flow into the lough. Water then naturally flows from Lough Neagh
through the Lower Bann river to to the Atlantic Ocean at Portstewart.
The Lough Neagh region of Northern
Ireland remains a popular tourist
attraction with many annual festivals and events.
Lough Neagh in
the News |
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Sea eagle shot
dead on Lough Neagh ....read
more |
Lough
Neagh Islands and Shore Line
 Lough
Neagh has a number of islands situated within it. The most well
known of these include Coney Island, Coney Island Flat, Croaghan
Flat, Derrywarragh Island, Padian, Ram's Island, Phil Roe's Flat and
The Shallow Flat. Ram’s and Coney have significant historical
interest with superb flora and fauna and can be visited by boat in
the summer months.
Five of
Northern Ireland’s six counties (Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone
and Londonderry) have shores on Lough Neagh. Only Fermanagh does not.
The Lough has many shore-side towns and villages. These include
Craigavon, Antrim, Crumlin, Randalstown, Toomebridge, Ballyronan,
Ballinderry, Moortown, Ardboe, Maghery, Lurgan and Magherafelt.
Lough Neagh
Rescue provides a full time Search and Rescue service which is a
voluntary operation funded by the bordering District Councils with
bases at Kinnego and Ardboe.
Lough Neagh History
 Scientists
estimate that the Lough was formed in the early Tertiary period due
to a fault line that occurred sinking an area of land and allowing it
to fill with water. The Lough area has many ancient ruins of
monasteries, forts and castles. These include the remains of a 17th
Century church on Church Island and a monastry Round Tower in Antrim.
There is also one of the finest high crosses in Ireland, the Ardboe
Cross, located in County Tyrone, which dates from around the 10th
century and is all that remains from a sixth century monastery on the site.
Lough Neagh
used to be a major transport route with timber, coal and livestock
being moved via the canals at Lagan (from 1763 to 1958), Ulster (from
1841 to 1931), Newry (from 1742 to 1949), Coalisland (from 1787 to
1954), Lower Bann Navigation (from 1847 to present) and Upper Bann
Navigation (from 1742 to 1954). Proposals to restore the Ulster Canal
system are now underway.
 During
World War II, Lough Neagh acted as a landing base for flying boats.
The Lough was also used for firing practice for both fighter and
bomber aircraft pilots.
The Maid of
Antrim is one of the oldest passenger vessels in Northern Ireland. It
was built on the Clyde in 1963 and has been totally restored to it's
original splendour. It now makes regular trips form Ballyronan.
Lough Neagh Legend
According to
an ancient Irish legend, Lough Neagh was formed when Ireland's
legendary giant Finn McCool scooped up a portion of land and threw it
at a Scottish rival, who was trying to escape via the steps of the
Giants Causeway. He missed his target, and the chunk of earth landed
in the Irish Sea and formed the Isle of Man.
The name Lough
Neagh means the Lough of the Eochu, the horse god. He was the lord of
the world beneath the water surface. Fishermen still maintain they
can hear booming noises called water guns. Although they are
associated with whirlwinds on the surface, others say it is the Eochu
galloping to the underworld.
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