Lough Gill () is a freshwater lough (lake) mainly situated in County Sligo, but partly in County Leitrim, in Ireland. Lough Gill provides the setting for William Butler Yeats' poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree".

Location and environment

Lough Gill is about 8 km or 5 miles long and 2 km or 1 mile wide. The Lough Gill system consists of the Bonet River that flows into the eastern end of the lake and the River Garavogue which drains the lake to the west near Sligo Town.

The picturesque lake is surrounded by woodlands, such as Slish Wood, Dooney Rock, and Hazelwood all of which contain popular nature trails and viewing points along the lake. The wooded hills of Slieve Killery and Slieve Daean dominate the south shore.

It is a popular location for birdwatchers.

Flora and fauna

Lough Gill has a unique microclimate and is noted for its high number of rare or scarce animal and plant species. It is part of the Lough Gill SAC (Special Area of Conservation) for habitats listed on Annex I and II of the E.U. Habitats Directive, including two with priority status: alluvial forest, orchid-rich calcareous grassland.

The vegetation of the area was dominated by mixed woodland from 4,600 BC to at least 1400 AD. Scots pine was dominant until 3,400 BC. In a scientific study, Arbutus unedo pollen was found at Slish Lake dating from as early as 100 AD, and so it is considered native to this area.

The woods surrounding the lake are dominated by oak (Quercus spp.), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and willows (Salix spp.). The shores of the lake are home to the world's northernmost specimens of the rare Mediterranean strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo).

History

thumb|right|254px|Cottage island, also known as Beezie's Island

In 1836 Thomas O'Connor of the Ordnance Survey noted a saying amongst the people that went "Connacht is the Grianán of Ireland, Cairbre is the Grianán of Connacht, Calry is the Grianán of Cairbre and the Hill is the Grianán of Calgaich". Gríanán is a word meaning literally "sunny place" and implies a place of great natural beauty. The hill of Grianán is at the eastern shore of Lough Gill.

In the early historic era (5th-8th centuries), the area was home to a branch of the Cálraighe. Parke's Castle, a plantation fortified house on the northern shore, was built in the early 17th century by Captain Robert Parke on the site of a former tower house of the Uí Ruairc clann. The Uí Ruairc clan ruled the area from about the 7th century up to the time of Oliver Cromwell.

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Carn Romra and Carn Omra are the names of the two large neolithic cairns on Cairns hill overlooking the lake.

Sliabh Dhá Éan is also associated with myth.

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Image:Parke's Castle - geograph.org.uk - 985475.jpg|Parke's Castle and Lough Gill

Image:Green Island on Lough Gill with Kilkenny Mountain beyond - geograph.org.uk - 1596452.jpg|Green Island with Kilkenny Mountain in background

Image:Lough Gill. Co. Sligo Ireland.jpg|The lake circa 1900

Image:Slish Wood Forest Trail - geograph.org.uk - 980403.jpg|Slish Wood forest trail

Image:Tour boat, Lough Gill.jpg|Tour boat on the lake

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See also

  • List of loughs in Ireland
  • Naisse mac Cithruadh

References

  • Sligo Walks (Slish Wood)
  • McDonagh, Marese. Irish Times, "Poetry in motion on Yeats Day boat trip", 14 June 2012