Lough Corrib
Encyclopedia
Lough Corrib is a lake
in the west of Ireland
. The River Corrib
or Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway
. It is the second largest lough in Ireland
(after Lough Neagh
). It covers 178 km² and lies mostly in County Galway
with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo
.
The first canal
in Ireland was cut in the 12th century. Known as the Friar's Cut, it allowed boats to pass from Lough Corrib to the sea at Galway.
William Wilde
, father of Oscar Wilde
wrote a book about the lake, first published in 1867. He built a summerhouse
on the banks of the lake, called Moytura House.
Lough Corrib was designated a Ramsar site on June 16, 1996. It has also been designated a Special Area of Conservation
.
figure Orbsiu Mac Alloid (commonly called Manannán Mac Lir
). In Irish the lough is also called An Choirib ("the Corrib").
in early spring is spectacular to listen to. Lough Corrib can be divided into two parts: a smaller shallower basin to the south and a larger deeper basin to the north. These two parts are connected by a narrow channel. In the southern and eastern parts of the lake, the lake bed is dominated by limestone bedrock covered by deposits of precipitated marl. The surrounding land is mostly pastoral farmland to the south and east and bog to the west and north. In addition to the lake basis, some areas of scientific interest adjoining the lake e.g. woodland, callows grassland and raised bog, have been incorporated into the Special Area of Conservation.
were detected in water from the lake, leading to contamination of the public water supply in Galway city, and an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis
. Another unwelcome visitor is the highly invasive species Lagarosiphon major (also known as "Curly Waterweed") which is destroying fish habitat. Another invasive species is the Zebra Mussel
.
of Galway City
, Moycullen
, Oughterard
and Headford
, which had been instructed six days earlier to boil their water before drinking. The water taken from Lough Corrib was likely contaminated by migration of animal and human faeces. Dick Roche
, the Minister of the Environment, announced a further allocation of €48 million to tackle the issue.
Galway City Council
announced a one-for-one scheme on April 10, 2007, whereby they would carry the cost of a second bottle of water, if one is purchased. Other measures include upgrading existing water treatment and filtration systems, as well as the projected importing of water from nearby Luimnagh, Tuam
, County Galway. This plant at Luimnagh has modern facilities for Cryptosporidium
eradication and filtration.
The Community Care Organisation, Cope, delivered bottled water to their elderly clients from March 30, 2007.
A lobby group was formed on April 8, 2007 to highlight the issue. One aspect of the group is an account on the MySpace
social network
.
While Lough Corrib is reputed to have 365 islands, a more accurate estimate suggests over 1,200. The most famous of the islands is Inchagoil Island, midway between Cong
and Oughterard
. It is one of the largest of the many wooded islands along Lough Corrib. The island has spectacular views of the Maumturk range, Joyce Country and the mountains of Connemara
. There are some secluded beaches and enchanting woods with a variety of walks around the island. There is evidence of an early monastic settlement which still mostly remains a mystery. There are two churches remaining, Saint Patrick
's and the 12th century church known as the "saints" church. There are several paths around the island, an old cemetery and remains of four or five cottages which housed the few inhabitants.
Another noted island is Caislean-na-Circe, between Maam and Doon. This section of Lough Corrib is free from islands except for the rock on which the ancient Hen's Castle of the O'Connor's and the O'Flaherty's stands. The castle was home of the pirate Queen of Connemara
, Gráinne O'Malley, who lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth I of England. In 1225, the Lord Justice caused Odo O'Flatherty to give up Kirk Castle to Odo O'Connor, King of Connaught; for assurance of his fidelity. Castle of the Hen is considered to be the oldest fortress of its kind in Ireland, and it is undoubtedly one of the best built. When first built and well-defended, with good food stores, this castle must have been impregnable. The rocks slope abruptly into the water on all sides. It is only accessible in a few places. The castle is steeped in history and legend. Cruises on the lake can be enjoyed starting from Cong
, Ashford Castle, Galway City, and Oughterard.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the west of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The River Corrib
River Corrib
The River Corrib in the west of Ireland flows from Lough Corrib through Galway to Galway Bay. The river is among the shortest in Europe, with only a length of six kilometres from the lough to the Atlantic. It is popular with local whitewater kayakers and is the training ground of , as well as...
or Galway river connects the lake to the sea at Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
. It is the second largest lough in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(after Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
). It covers 178 km² and lies mostly in County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
with a small area of its northeast corner in County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
.
The first canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
in Ireland was cut in the 12th century. Known as the Friar's Cut, it allowed boats to pass from Lough Corrib to the sea at Galway.
William Wilde
William Wilde
Sir William Robert Wills Wilde MD, FRCSI, was an Irish eye and ear surgeon, as well as an author of significant works on medicine, archaeology and folklore, particularly concerning his native Ireland...
, father of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
wrote a book about the lake, first published in 1867. He built a summerhouse
Summerhouse
Summerhouse can refer to:*Summer house*Summerhouse, County Durham*"The Summerhouse", a song by The Divine Comedy...
on the banks of the lake, called Moytura House.
Lough Corrib was designated a Ramsar site on June 16, 1996. It has also been designated a Special Area of Conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
.
Name
Loch Coirib is a corruption of Loch nOirbsean, which according to placename lore is named after the Tuatha Dé DanannTuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann are a race of people in Irish mythology. In the invasions tradition which begins with the Lebor Gabála Érenn, they are the fifth group to settle Ireland, conquering the island from the Fir Bolg....
figure Orbsiu Mac Alloid (commonly called Manannán Mac Lir
Manannán mac Lir
Manannán mac Lir is a sea deity in Irish mythology. He is the son of the obscure Lir . He is often seen as a psychopomp, and has strong affiliations with the Otherworld, the weather and the mists between the worlds...
). In Irish the lough is also called An Choirib ("the Corrib").
Digital Charts
Digital Charts of Lough Corrib are available for use on PC & Garmin devices, a project started in 2007 named CorribCharts. See www.corribcharts.com for more detailsWildlife
There is an abundance of wildlife in Lough Corrib including birds and hawks, otters, mink, stoat, frogs, bats and much more. The dawn chorusDawn chorus (birds)
The dawn chorus occurs when songbirds sing at the start of a new day. In temperate countries, this is most noticeable in spring, when the birds are either defending a breeding territory or trying to attract a mate. In a given location, it is common for different species to do their dawn singing at...
in early spring is spectacular to listen to. Lough Corrib can be divided into two parts: a smaller shallower basin to the south and a larger deeper basin to the north. These two parts are connected by a narrow channel. In the southern and eastern parts of the lake, the lake bed is dominated by limestone bedrock covered by deposits of precipitated marl. The surrounding land is mostly pastoral farmland to the south and east and bog to the west and north. In addition to the lake basis, some areas of scientific interest adjoining the lake e.g. woodland, callows grassland and raised bog, have been incorporated into the Special Area of Conservation.
Threats to ecology
As well as being an internationally recognised attraction for tourists and fisherman, Lough Corrib has recently become more famous for its many unwelcome visitors. In early 2007, large numbers of the protozoan parasite CryptosporidiumCryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with diarrhea in humans.Cryptosporidium is the organism most commonly isolated in HIV positive patients presenting with diarrhea...
were detected in water from the lake, leading to contamination of the public water supply in Galway city, and an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidiosis, also known as crypto, is a parasitic disease caused by Cryptosporidium, a protozoan parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa. It affects the intestines of mammals and is typically an acute short-term infection...
. Another unwelcome visitor is the highly invasive species Lagarosiphon major (also known as "Curly Waterweed") which is destroying fish habitat. Another invasive species is the Zebra Mussel
Zebra mussel
The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is a small freshwater mussel. This species was originally native to the lakes of southeast Russia being first described in 1769 by a German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in the Ural, Volga and Dnieper rivers. They are still found nearby, as Pontic and Caspian...
.
Cryptosporidium outbreak
On March 21, 2007, Cryptosporidium was confirmed to be present in the drinking waterDrinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
of Galway City
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, Moycullen
Moycullen
Moycullen Moycullen Moycullen (official name: Maigh Cuilinn, Plain of Holly, or Plain of Cullen (a local giant) is a suburban village in County Galway, Ireland, about 10 km (7 mi) north west of Galway city. It is located near Lough Corrib, on the N59 road to Oughterard and Clifden in...
, Oughterard
Oughterard
Oughterard is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in County Galway, Ireland. The population of the town in 2006 was 1,305...
and Headford
Headford
Headford is a town in County Galway, located 26 km north of Galway city in the west of Ireland. The N84 national secondary route from Galway to Castlebar passes through the town. The R333 road travels from Headford to Tuam. There are many other 'boreens' and third-class roads on the...
, which had been instructed six days earlier to boil their water before drinking. The water taken from Lough Corrib was likely contaminated by migration of animal and human faeces. Dick Roche
Dick Roche
Dick Roche is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Wicklow constituency, and also served in Seanad Éireann from 1992 to 1997.-Early and private life:...
, the Minister of the Environment, announced a further allocation of €48 million to tackle the issue.
Galway City Council
Galway City Council
Galway City Council is the local authority for the city of Galway, Ireland. Previously Galway Corporation, it was founded in 1485 by The Tribes of Galway via a Charter of Mayoralty granted to the town in December 1484 by King Richard III. The first Mayor of Galway was Peirce Lynch...
announced a one-for-one scheme on April 10, 2007, whereby they would carry the cost of a second bottle of water, if one is purchased. Other measures include upgrading existing water treatment and filtration systems, as well as the projected importing of water from nearby Luimnagh, Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
, County Galway. This plant at Luimnagh has modern facilities for Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with diarrhea in humans.Cryptosporidium is the organism most commonly isolated in HIV positive patients presenting with diarrhea...
eradication and filtration.
The Community Care Organisation, Cope, delivered bottled water to their elderly clients from March 30, 2007.
A lobby group was formed on April 8, 2007 to highlight the issue. One aspect of the group is an account on the MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
social network
Social network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
.
Islands
Cong, County Mayo
Cong is a village straddling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo, in Ireland. Cong is situated on an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides...
and Oughterard
Oughterard
Oughterard is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in County Galway, Ireland. The population of the town in 2006 was 1,305...
. It is one of the largest of the many wooded islands along Lough Corrib. The island has spectacular views of the Maumturk range, Joyce Country and the mountains of Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
. There are some secluded beaches and enchanting woods with a variety of walks around the island. There is evidence of an early monastic settlement which still mostly remains a mystery. There are two churches remaining, Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
's and the 12th century church known as the "saints" church. There are several paths around the island, an old cemetery and remains of four or five cottages which housed the few inhabitants.
Another noted island is Caislean-na-Circe, between Maam and Doon. This section of Lough Corrib is free from islands except for the rock on which the ancient Hen's Castle of the O'Connor's and the O'Flaherty's stands. The castle was home of the pirate Queen of Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
, Gráinne O'Malley, who lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth I of England. In 1225, the Lord Justice caused Odo O'Flatherty to give up Kirk Castle to Odo O'Connor, King of Connaught; for assurance of his fidelity. Castle of the Hen is considered to be the oldest fortress of its kind in Ireland, and it is undoubtedly one of the best built. When first built and well-defended, with good food stores, this castle must have been impregnable. The rocks slope abruptly into the water on all sides. It is only accessible in a few places. The castle is steeped in history and legend. Cruises on the lake can be enjoyed starting from Cong
Cong, County Mayo
Cong is a village straddling the borders of County Galway and County Mayo, in Ireland. Cong is situated on an island formed by a number of streams that surround it on all sides...
, Ashford Castle, Galway City, and Oughterard.
See also
- List of loughs of County Mayo
- List of loughs in Ireland
- Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreakMilwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreakThe 1993 Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak was a significant distribution of the Cryptosporidium protozoan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the largest waterborne disease outbreak in documented United States history. The Howard Avenue Water Purification Plant was contaminated, and treated water...