Garadice Lough


Garadice Lough, also known as Garadice Lake or Lough Garadice, is a freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the south of County Leitrim and is now part of the Shannon–Erne Waterway.

Geography

Garadice Lough is located east of Ballinamore in South Leitrim. It is about wide from west to east and covers an area of. The lake has three islands, two of which are named: Church Island and Cherry Island.

Hydrology

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 history

Fish present in Garadice Lough include tench, roach, bream and pike. Large pike have been caught here weighing or more.

Ecology

The water quality was reported to be satisfactory with a mesotrophic rating, improving to oligotrophic status, before dropping back to mesotrophic rating. Zebra mussel infestation is present. The ecology of Garadice Lough, and other Irish waterways, remains threatened by curly waterweed, and freshwater clam invasive species.

History

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. 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".

Primary sources

Secondary sources