Lakes in Ireland.

Most of Ireland's lakes lie in the west. The lakes are called loughs. Three major lakes Lough Allen, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg lie along the course of the River Shannon. The Lakes of Killarney in the southwest are famous for their beauty. They consist of Lower Lake, Muckross Lake, and Upper Lake. Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland is the largest lake in the British Isles. Lough Erne which consists of two lakes upper and lower

Lough Neagh is the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles and Ireland it is 29 km (18 MI) long and 12km (7.5MI) wide and has an area of 383 sq km (147 sq MI). It has an average depth of 8.9 M (29 ft) It is situated in mid Ulster. The rivers feeding the lake include the Upper Bann, which rises in the Mourne Mountains and flows north for forty miles before entering the Lough, the Blackwater, the Main, . Lough Neagh is drained by the Lower Bann, which leaves the Lough at Toome and flows north to the North Channel. Fishing for eels is carried on in a few places, long lines was the preferred method of fishing.

During the late 1960's early 70's the Lough experienced serious algae blooms as a result of pollution. The situation has been reversed now and drinking water is extracted in several places. The Lough has several marine and water sport Center's

Lough Corrib situated in the west of Ireland, in county Galway and Mayo, the Lough extends about 43 km (27 MI) from north west to south east, varying in width from several hundred yards at its narrowest to 11 km (7 MI) in the north. The total area of the lake is about 181 sq km (70 sq MI). The lake divides county Galway into eastern and western sections. The outlet of the lake is the Corrib River, which flows from the southern end of the lake into Galway Bay, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean.

The lake receives the waters of the Clare River and smaller rivers and those of Lough Mask. The waters flow underground through the Pigeon Hole and other caves at the northern end of the lake. Lough Corrib contains numerous islets, including Inchagoill Island, which has the ruins of two ancient churches.

Lough Mask lies within counties Galway and Mayo, western Ireland, it is situated at the northern end of Lough Corrib, to which it is connected.

The Lough receives the River Robe from the northeast. It contains several small islands and has two thin arms protruding to the southwest. It is about 19 km (12 MI) long and from 3 to 7 km (2 to 4 MI) wide and covers about 83 sq km (32 sq MI). The ruins of Mask Castle are located on its southeastern shore.

Lough Ree is part of the River Shannon network, it is located between counties Roscommon, to the west, and Longford and Westmeath to the east. The town of Athlone is at its southern end, and its northeastern arm is linked to loughs Darravaragh and Sheelin. The lake is 25 km (15.5 MI) long and up to 11 km (7 MI) wide, and covers an area of 101 sq km (39 sq MI). It is noted for good trout fishing.

The Lough has been prominent in Irish history since earliest times, in 796 AD a Vikings fleet of sixty ships sailed up the River Shannon into Lough Ree, they were led by Turgesius. It is said the ensuing conflict between Turgesius and King Malachy lasted for three months. Half of Turgesius fleet were eventually sunk. Turgesius was captured and drowned in Lough Owel. In later times King Brian Boru, deployed a fleet of war galleys on Lough Ree to deal with the Viking threat

In Lough Ree are the islands of Inchbofin and Inchclearaun on which are archaeological ruins from the early Celtic Church, but the islands are also associated with the mythological figure of Medb (Maeve of Connaught) an Irish warrior queen, also known as Queen Mab.

Lough Derg is located east of the Slieve Aughty mountains, with Portumna at its northern end and Killaloe and Ballina at its southern. The Lough covers an area of 96 sq km (37 sq MI), measuring about 32 km (20 MI) by up to 8 km (5 MI), and is up to 36 m (118 ft) in depth.

The Lough is formed by a widening of the River Shannon flowing southwest, and is navigable between Killaloe and Portumna. It contains a few islands including Holy Island (Inishcaltra), traditionally associated with St Patrick, which contains the ruins of four churches, and is the site of regular pilgrimages and fasts.
The southern end of the lake the location of the first hydroelectric power station in Ireland.

These world famous lakes of which there are three, are located near the town of Killarney in County Kerry. The lakes contain numerous islands and are part of the Killarney National Park.

The wooded slopes of the mountains of Kerry rise abruptly from the lake shores. On the Island of Ross in Lough Leane, the largest lake (about 21 sq km (8 sq MI), stands an ancient ruined castle. Between Lough Leane and Muckross Lake is the ruin of a Franciscan abbey founded in 1440.

The outlet of the lakes is the Laune River, which flows northwest into Dingle Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean.