Lough Melvin
Encyclopedia
Lough Melvin is a lake which is internationally renowned for its unique range of plants and animals. It is located in the northwest of Ireland
on the border between County Leitrim
(in the Republic of Ireland
) and County Fermanagh
(in Northern Ireland
).
The lake covers an area of 2000 hectare
s and is famous for its early “run” of Atlantic salmon
. In relatively pristine condition, the lake
and surrounding catchment area (265 km²) is valued for its recreational, heritage and environmental values by anglers, tourists, scientists and the local community. Arctic Char
, otter
and three species of trout
(sonaghan, gillaroo, ferox) are among the many species that live in or around the lake. Within the catchment, the endangered globeflower, Molinia
meadow
s and sessile oak
woodlands can be found.
(SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Within the Lough Melvin catchment, there are two other SAC’s (Arroo Mountain and West-Fermanagh Scarplands). SAC’s are prime wildlife conservation areas considered important at an international level. Those habitats and species designated as SAC’s are required to be protected under EU law.
Lough Melvin is also considered a Nature Reserve
and Site of Special Scientific Interest
in Northern Ireland and an Area of Outstanding Beauty and Area of High Visual Amenity in the Republic of Ireland.
from February to May, Grilse from May to July and Gillaroo, Sonaghen and Ferox trout throughout the season. A ghillie or boatman is strongly recommended to anglers unfamiliar with the lake.
or Salmo stomachius, a species of trout which eats primarily snails. The name "Gillaroo" is derived from the Irish language
Giolla Rua, which means "Red Fellow". This is due to the fishes distinctive colouring. It has a bright buttery golden colour in its flanks with bight crimson and vermillion spots. The gillaroo feed almost exclusively on bottom living animals (snails, sedge fly larva and freshwater shrimp) with the exception of late summer when they come to the surface to feed and may be caught on the dry fly.
fished Lough Melvin extensively, and stayed in Garrison
, County Fermanagh, while he was in the locality.
Local fokelore tells of an old monk who was fishing late one night at the boat quay in the Rusheen - this is apparently the origins of the Gillaroo myth. The old monk had fasted for a long period and had nestled on Lough Melvin's rocky shores to seek solice and find himself. Upon completing his period of abstenence he combed the surrounding landscape to quench his appetite. Having acquired a bounty of wild mushrooms from the grassy slopes of the Rusheen he proceeded to seek an adequate complement to his fungal feast. Lough Melvin provided the perfect source for having spent many days gazing upon its vast expanse he had watched in awe at the abundance of wild salmon and various trout like fish that frollicked in pursuit of unsuspecting insect life. After an evening's fishing the only luck he had was an eel which was hardly was worth roasting and a duck egg that he had managed to retrieve from a nest in a nearby reedbed. Becoming ever increasinly desperate and starving the Monk decided to make a cross in the sand and laid his catch within - this is why an eel will not leave a cross of sand if caught in the Lough! It was now that the Monk turned to his spiritual advisor asking him to reward him for his faithful fast - upon opening his eyes he saw that his eel and egg had turned into two of the most beautiful golden bellied trout, a fish so splendid that he simply could not eat, so he turned them free to multiply in the Lough!
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...
on the border between County Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim 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 Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
(in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
) and County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
(in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
).
The lake covers an area of 2000 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s and is famous for its early “run” of Atlantic salmon
Atlantic salmon
The Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
. In relatively pristine condition, the lake
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,...
and surrounding catchment area (265 km²) is valued for its recreational, heritage and environmental values by anglers, tourists, scientists and the local community. Arctic Char
Arctic char
Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters. No other freshwater fish is found as far north. It is the only species of fish in Lake Hazen, on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic...
, otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
and three species of trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
(sonaghan, gillaroo, ferox) are among the many species that live in or around the lake. Within the catchment, the endangered globeflower, Molinia
Molinia
Molinia is a genus of two species of grasses. The genus is named after Juan Ignacio Molina, a 19th century naturalist and scientist from Chile.Species*Molinia caerulea . Northern Europe and Asia....
meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
s and sessile oak
Sessile Oak
Quercus petraea , the Sessile Oak, also known as the Durmast Oak, is a species of oak native to most of Europe, and into Anatolia.-Description:...
woodlands can be found.
Conservation and protection
Due to the diversity and rarity of Lough Melvin and its species, the lake has been designated as a candidate Special Area of ConservationSpecial 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...
(SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Within the Lough Melvin catchment, there are two other SAC’s (Arroo Mountain and West-Fermanagh Scarplands). SAC’s are prime wildlife conservation areas considered important at an international level. Those habitats and species designated as SAC’s are required to be protected under EU law.
Lough Melvin is also considered a Nature Reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
and Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
in Northern Ireland and an Area of Outstanding Beauty and Area of High Visual Amenity in the Republic of Ireland.
Angling
Lough Melvin is one of Ireland's famous angling loughs offering the chance of Spring salmonSalmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
from February to May, Grilse from May to July and Gillaroo, Sonaghen and Ferox trout throughout the season. A ghillie or boatman is strongly recommended to anglers unfamiliar with the lake.
Gillaroo Trout
Lough Melvin is also is home to the GillarooGillaroo
Gillaroo , is the name of a species of trout which eats primarily snails and is only proven to inhabit Lough Melvin in Ireland.Gillaroo is derived from the Irish for Red Fellow ; this is due to the fish's distinctive colouring. It has a bright, buttery golden colour in its flanks with bright...
or Salmo stomachius, a species of trout which eats primarily snails. The name "Gillaroo" is derived from the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Giolla Rua, which means "Red Fellow". This is due to the fishes distinctive colouring. It has a bright buttery golden colour in its flanks with bight crimson and vermillion spots. The gillaroo feed almost exclusively on bottom living animals (snails, sedge fly larva and freshwater shrimp) with the exception of late summer when they come to the surface to feed and may be caught on the dry fly.
Sonaghan Trout
The sonaghan trout (Salmo nigripinnis) is another species of salmonid unique to Lough Melvin. It can have a light brown or silvery hue with large, distinctive black spots. Its fins are dark brown or black with elongated pectorals. Sonaghan are found in areas of open, deep water, where they feed on mid-water planktonic organisms such as water fleas ("Clandocera"), midge ("Chironomid") pupae and phantom ("Chaoborus") larvae. Sonaghan will be most readily located close to the surface over deep water. Fly-fishing with a team of wet flies fished in classic lough style (i.e. short, snappy casts from a boat drifting beam-on to the breeze) gives best chance of success. Sonaghan give a powerful and energetic fight out of all proportion to their size.Ferox Trout
The classic work carried out by Andrew Ferguson of Queens University on the genetics of the trout of Lough Melvin identified the ferox as a separate subspecies. The fish home to a specific spawning area and are reproductively isolated. They ate also one of the oldest trout races to colonise Ireland, perhaps as old as 50,000 yrs. Ferox canabalise brown trout (which returned to many of the same lakes when geological processes and climatic conditions allowed) and also prey on other fish species. The best method of capture is trolling, particularly with a Rapala type lure.History
Charlie ChaplinCharlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
fished Lough Melvin extensively, and stayed in Garrison
Garrison, County Fermanagh
Garrison is a small village near Lough Melvin in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The Roogagh River runs through the village. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 357 people...
, County Fermanagh, while he was in the locality.
Local fokelore tells of an old monk who was fishing late one night at the boat quay in the Rusheen - this is apparently the origins of the Gillaroo myth. The old monk had fasted for a long period and had nestled on Lough Melvin's rocky shores to seek solice and find himself. Upon completing his period of abstenence he combed the surrounding landscape to quench his appetite. Having acquired a bounty of wild mushrooms from the grassy slopes of the Rusheen he proceeded to seek an adequate complement to his fungal feast. Lough Melvin provided the perfect source for having spent many days gazing upon its vast expanse he had watched in awe at the abundance of wild salmon and various trout like fish that frollicked in pursuit of unsuspecting insect life. After an evening's fishing the only luck he had was an eel which was hardly was worth roasting and a duck egg that he had managed to retrieve from a nest in a nearby reedbed. Becoming ever increasinly desperate and starving the Monk decided to make a cross in the sand and laid his catch within - this is why an eel will not leave a cross of sand if caught in the Lough! It was now that the Monk turned to his spiritual advisor asking him to reward him for his faithful fast - upon opening his eyes he saw that his eel and egg had turned into two of the most beautiful golden bellied trout, a fish so splendid that he simply could not eat, so he turned them free to multiply in the Lough!