Location County Leitrim Primary outflows Shannon–Erne Waterway Max. width 3 km (2 mi) Surface elevation 49 m Catchment area 183.9 km² Province Connacht Number of islands 3 | Primary inflows Basin countries Ireland Surface area 3.89 km (1.50 sq mi) Area 3.89 km² Catchment area 183.9 km² | |
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Garadice Lough (Irish: Loch Guth Ard Deas (meaning The South Lake of the High Voice), also known as Garadice Lake or Lough Garadice, is a freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. It is located in south County Leitrim and is now part of the Shannon–Erne Waterway.
Contents
- Map of Garadice Lough Co Leitrim Ireland
- GeographyEdit
- HydrologyEdit
- Natural historyEdit
- EcologyEdit
- HistoryEdit
- References
Map of Garadice Lough, Co. Leitrim, Ireland
GeographyEdit
Garadice Lough is located 8 kilometres (5 mi) east of Ballinamore. It is about 3 km (2 mi) wide from west to east and covers an area of 3.89 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi). The lake has three islands, two of which are named: Church Island and Cherry Island (Irish- Cloch-inse-na-dtorc).
HydrologyEdit
Garadice Lough now forms part of the Shannon–Erne Waterway. Its inflow was formerly named the Yellow River and the outflow was the Woodford River.
Natural historyEdit
Fish present in Garadice Lough include tench, roach, bream and pike. Large pike have been caught here weighing 10 kg (22 lb) or more.
EcologyEdit
The water quality was reported to be satisfactory c. 2001 – c. 2003 with a mesotrophic rating, improving to oligotrophic status c. 2004 – c. 2006, before dropping back to mesotrophic rating c. 2007 – c. 2009. Zebra mussel infestation is present. The ecology of Garadice Lough, and other Irish waterways, remains threatened by curly waterweed, and freshwater clam invasive species.
HistoryEdit
The earliest surviving mention of the lake is in the 9th century Vita tripartita Sancti Patricii, in connection with the crossing of the lake by Saint Patrick on his way to destroy the idol Crom Cruach. In medieval times Garadice Lough was known as Lough Finvoy (Loch Finn Mhagh, meaning 'The Lake of the White Plain'). The lake is mentioned several times in the Irish Annals- Annals of the Four Masters 1386 and Annals of Connacht 1257 & 1418. In about 1257 the fortress "Cloch-inse-na-dtorc, in Lough Finvoy, was burned by O'Rourke" (a King of West Breifne).