Lough Neagh

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Lough Neagh (pronounced [lɒx neɪ]; Irish Loch nEathach [lɔx ˈɲahax]) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. The largest lake anywhere in the United Kingdom, with an area of 150 square miles (388 square kilometres), it dwarfs all others on the island of Ireland. It is also the third largest in Western Europe (after Lake Geneva and Lake Constance). Approximately 20 miles (30 km) long and 9 miles (15 km) wide, Lough Neagh is situated some 20 miles (30 km) to the west of Belfast. It is very shallow around the margins and the average depth in the main body of the lake is about 9 metres (30 feet); although at its deepest the lough is about 25 metres (80 feet) deep.

Five of the six counties of Northern Ireland have shores on the Lough: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Londonderry and Tyrone. Towns and villages near the Lough include Antrim, Toomebridge, Ballyronan, Ballinderry, Moortown, Ardboe, Maghery, Lurgan and Magherafelt.

Although the Lough is used for a variety of recreational and commercial activities, it is exposed and tends to get extremely rough very quickly in windy conditions. It is also used as a source of fresh water by the DRD Water Service. Plans to increase the amount of water drawn from the Lough, through a new water treatment works at Hog Park Point, have long been planned but are yet to materialise.

Lough Neagh Rescue provides a rescue service 24 hours a day. It is a voluntary service, but its members are dedicated and possess significant expertise. Rescues are coordinated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

An old Irish story tells how the Lough was formed when Ireland's legendary giant, Fionn mac Cumhaill (anglicised as "Finn McCool"), scooped up a portion of the land and tossed it at a Scottish rival. He missed, and the chunk of earth landed in the Irish Sea, thus creating the Isle of Man.

Lough Neagh attracts bird watchers from many nations due to the number and variety of birds which winter and summer in the boglands and shores around the lough.

Eel fishing has been a major industry in Lough Neagh for centuries. Today Lough Neagh eel fisheries export their eels to restaurants all over the world.

There are a number of islands in the lough: Coney Island, Coney Island Flat, Croaghan Flat, Derrywarragh Island, Padian, Phil Roe's Flat and The Shallow Flat. (Note: list incomplete)

Lough Neagh was widely assumed to be owned by the state, but in 2005 it publicly emerged that it is the ancestral property of the Earls of Shaftesbury. This may have serious implications for planned changes to state-run domestic water services in Northern Ireland, as the lough supplies 40% of the region's drinking water and is also used as a sewage outfall (in a system only permissible through Crown immunity).

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