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average water temperatures are around 17c, sometimes a few degrees higher during periods of good weather. One of the more popular training swims is out to
Turgesius Island a distance of exactly one mile from the slipway at the cut. In 2022, a permanent "swim trail" of 5 large swimmers buoys was laid out along the North Shore in a 750m course, (1500 return) to encourage the safe participation of more swimming. More buoys were also installed in the separate designated bathing area.
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Lough Lene previously had a population of fresh water crayfish, a species that is listed on Annex II of the E.U. Habitats
Directive. This species disappeared from Lough Lene in 1987 following an outbreak of crayfish fungus plague. The species was re-introduced and breeding was recorded in 1995. Since
379:
clear" being used to describe it. It sits approximately 97 metres (312 ft) above sea level and covers approximately 500 hectares. It plays a vital part in local life from being the water supply for
Collinstown to playing an essential part in the social, historical and recreational life of the
528:
Due to the quality and clarity of the water, together with the safe access at "the Cut", the lough is a popular bathing and swimming location suitable for families and experienced swimmers. Local
Triathlon clubs and Meath Masters Swimming Club train and hold events here regularly. In Summertime,
524:
Swimming, sailing and windsurfing are popular. Dressing-rooms and picnic areas are available to tourists at the point locally referred to as "the Cut" about 2 km north from the
Collinstown cross-roads. "The Cut" is situated on the east end of the lake.
355:
believed the lake's name translated as "Lake of
Learning", tying in with his translation of Fore as the "Town of Books". However, other sources seem more inclined to the tradition that the lake was named after the daughter of the fabled
828:, sheep and horses. Unpolluted hard-water lakes such as Lough Lene are becoming increasingly rare in Ireland and in Europe and are of a type that is listed upon the Annex of the E.U. Habitat Directive.
821:. Of particular significance is the pochard population which, in the winters of 1995/1996 and 1996/1997, there were numbers of national importance averaging 515 individual birds of this population.
481:
for its pollution-free water. This has been allocated several times, largely due to the surrounding agricultural communities' commitment to preserving this water resource and habitat for fish and
441:. This work continues today. These Roman-period log-boats were constructed for lake fishing, and were about 8 m long, 1.5 m wide, and 80 centimetres deep, were made of
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It has a rich and varied history, including several prehistoric burial sites, old ruins, a number of ancient village-type communal circular dwellings locally called
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run-off from their farms. Lough Lene's clear water also acts as a reservoir for several surrounding villages. Collinstown, Rickardstown and
Glenidan have formed a
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then, a further outbreak of the crayfish fungus plague has once again led to the disappearance of the species from Lough Lene.
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453:. The boats were paddle propelled. Other notable constructional features are that they were complex boats: carved;
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743:), occurs in certain areas near the lake; one such area supports a population of rare round-leaved wintergreen (
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as being an irregular oval shape, possibly 3.2 km (2.0 mi) long by 1.7 km (1.1 mi) broad. A
59:
653:
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name for the town of
Collinstown, when translated means "the town of the veiled women" or "the town of the old
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433:-like features, while Castle Island showed the best potential, with a large assemblage of worked timbers. Two
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colonise former areas of cut-away and other low-lying areas close to the lake and are dominated by willows (
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686:. The ground flora of the wood at the northwestern end of the lake includes a range of peat mosses (
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Lough Lene is a deep lake, which is 20 metres (66 ft) deep in some parts. It is a clear
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The name of the lake has appeared in a variety of ways including Lane, Léin and
Leibhinn.
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399:". This was an irreverent name which referred to the nuns of the convent on the island.
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who had one of his forts upon the hill on the southwest overlooking the lake from the
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spp.). A narrow fringe of emigerent plant species dominated by common reed (
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682:) with patches of common reed also occurring. These areas support a rich
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A survey revealed that Nun's Island was a complex stone structure with
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lake, most sources focus on the clarity of the water, with the term "
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477:, Lough Lene is also known as the first freshwater lake to obtain a
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414:. A half size reproduction of the ancient bell was presented to
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occurs on the juttland into the lake at its northwestern side.
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A stony shore line fringes much of the lake, where there are
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particularly noticeable along long stretches of its shores.
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Parts of the lake are protected, under the
European Union's
319:. Lough Lene also has claims to being the home to kings and
991:
893:"Leinster House: A Tour and History – Tithe an Oireachtais"
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Much of the lake shore is accessible to grazing cattle,
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in 1931 by the widow of a former member of the House,
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vegetation, with such species as purple moor-grass (
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The lake supports a range of pondweeds that include
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383:Nun's Island on Lough Lene was once the site of a
657:) occurs along some stretches of the lakeshore.
611:) which are marl or hard-water lake indicators.
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8:
761:Bird species recorded at Lough Lene include
369:Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland
98:
89:
809:. The surrounding lands are inhabited by
78:Learn how and when to remove this message
1025:Archaeological sites in County Westmeath
422:, and it has since been the bell of the
41:This article includes a list of general
858:
347:Turgesius Island viewed from Lough Lene
16:Lake in north County Westmeath, Ireland
437:were also recovered in 1968, one with
974:Viking Ireland Network school project
7:
945:"Geocities.com – Lough Lene Gaels"
136:
47:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
597:), and a variety of stoneworts (
469:In more recent times, since the
135:
128:
115:
32:
992:Lough-lene.eu – Community pages
426:(chairperson) of Dáil Éireann.
333:Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid
235:
232:5 km (1.9 sq mi)
227:
539:are prohibited on Lough Lene.
284:) is a lake situated in north
1:
548:Special areas of conservation
331:side, before being killed by
264:Nun's Island, Castle Island,
151:
558:Special Area of Conservation
986:Associated L.Lene boat text
491:Gaelic Athletic Association
21:Lough Lene (disambiguation)
1051:
412:National Museum of Ireland
402:The two other islands are
292:, between the villages of
18:
1020:Lakes of County Westmeath
997:28 September 2007 at the
847:List of loughs in Ireland
737:), and marsh cinquefoil (
367:The lake is described in
123:
114:
97:
654:Schoenoplectus lacustris
651:) and common club-rush (
580:Potamogeton perfoliatus
520:Lough Lene bathing pier
240:97 m (318 ft)
62:more precise citations.
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513:
493:(GAA) club called the
348:
252:Winters of 1951, 1982,
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980:Lough Lene Monks Boat
519:
508:
346:
925:on 27 September 2007
740:Potentilla palustris
648:Phragmites australis
637:Hydrocotyle vulgaris
628:Polygonum persicaria
339:History and folklore
186:53.66472°N 7.23694°W
19:For other uses, see
1004:The Cut, Lough Lene
775:great crested grebe
746:Pyrola rotundifolia
731:), black bog-rush (
699:Vaccinium myrtillus
625:sp.) jointed rush (
618:such as spike-rush
471:Republic of Ireland
389:Baile na gCailleach
254:Jan & Dec. 2010
182: /
144:Location in Ireland
951:on 1 December 2002
734:Schoenus nigricans
554:Habitats Directive
522:
514:
349:
191:53.66472; -7.23694
899:on 8 January 2011
867:"St. Colman's NS"
725:), bottle sedge (
715:Freshwater marsh/
595:Elodea canadensis
591:Canadian pondweed
556:(92/43EEC), as a
459:mortice-and-tenon
271:
270:
237:Surface elevation
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1042:
1030:Stone Age Europe
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947:. Archived from
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921:. Archived from
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895:. Archived from
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869:. Archived from
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722:Molinia caerulea
705:Calluna vulgaris
676:sp.) and alder (
495:Lough Lene Gaels
408:Turgesius Island
358:Manannán mac Lir
286:County Westmeath
266:Turgesius Island
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702:) and heather (
679:Alnus glutinosa
660:Patches of wet
639:), and sedges (
633:marsh pennywort
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449:, and possibly
439:dovetail joints
424:Ceann Comhairle
362:Children of Lir
353:Sir Henry Piers
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953:. Retrieved
949:the original
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927:. Retrieved
923:the original
913:
901:. Retrieved
897:the original
887:
875:. Retrieved
871:the original
861:
835:
823:
779:little grebe
760:
751:rotundifolia
750:
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537:water-skiing
531:
527:
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512:on the lough
501:Water sports
485:by managing
468:
465:Recent times
461:; and sewn.
457:(extended);
428:
420:Bryan Cooper
416:Dáil Éireann
401:
388:
382:
366:
350:
306:
281:
273:
272:
229:Surface area
208:Glacial lake
74:
65:
46:
25:
929:31 December
877:26 December
783:tufted duck
510:Windsurfing
473:joined the
373:fresh water
298:Collinstown
189: /
164:Coordinates
60:introducing
1014:Categories
955:26 October
853:References
791:water rail
787:grey heron
622:Eleocharis
572:deposition
567:lake with
565:hard water
391:, the old
323:, such as
317:mass paths
282:Loch Léinn
274:Lough Lene
174:53°39′53″N
100:Loch Léinn
93:Lough Lene
43:references
803:cormorant
799:goldeneye
763:mute swan
757:Bird life
708:). Alder
586:P. lucens
479:Blue Flag
325:Turgesius
309:ringforts
177:7°14′13″W
68:June 2024
995:Archived
903:18 March
841:See also
832:Crayfish
694:bilberry
689:Sphagnum
662:woodland
609:C. curta
533:Jet-skis
487:effluent
483:wildlife
435:logboats
431:causeway
329:Ranaghan
153:Location
815:lapwing
795:mallard
771:pochard
749:subsp.
692:spp.),
616:species
543:Ecology
385:convent
321:Vikings
290:Ireland
260:Islands
220:Ireland
56:improve
819:curlew
807:wigeon
673:Betula
455:dugout
451:willow
406:, and
380:area.
315:, and
313:stiles
249:Frozen
103:
45:, but
826:goats
811:snipe
684:flora
667:Salix
642:Carex
600:Chara
360:(see
278:Irish
215:Basin
107:Irish
957:2009
931:2006
905:2020
879:2006
817:and
805:and
767:teal
710:carr
607:and
583:and
569:marl
535:and
397:hags
302:Fore
300:and
203:Type
753:).
717:fen
631:),
447:yew
443:oak
377:gin
364:).
1016::
813:,
801:,
797:,
793:,
789:,
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781:,
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773:,
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765:,
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560:.
497:.
445:,
387:.
335:.
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296:,
288:,
280::
959:.
933:.
907:.
881:.
696:(
635:(
620:(
593:(
276:(
109:)
105:(
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75:(
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66:(
52:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
