| Lough Derg | |
|---|---|
| Loch Deirgeirt | |
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Lough_derg.jpg) | |
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Location_map_Ireland_County_Clare.png)  Lough Derg Lough Derg (County Clare) &sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Location_map_Ireland_County_Galway.png) Lough Derg Lough Derg (County Galway) | |
&sq=Google&lang=en&file=File:Lough_Derg_(Munster).png) Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates | 52°59′N 8°19′W / 52.983°N 8.317°W |
| Type | Freshwater lake |
| Primary inflows | River Shannon |
| Primary outflows | River Shannon |
| Basin countries | Ireland |
| Max. length | 38.6 km (24.0 mi) |
| Max. width | 12.9 km (8.0 mi) |
| Surface area | 130 km2 (50 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 7.6 m (25 ft) |
| Max. depth | 36 m (118 ft) |
| Water volume | 0.887 km3 (0.213 cu mi) |
| Residence time | 0.15 years |
| Shore length1 | 179,000 m (587,000 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 33.5 m (110 ft) |
| Settlements | Garrykennedy, Portumna, Killaloe & Ballina, Dromineer, Terryglass |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lough Derg, historically Lough Dergart (Irish: Loch Deirgeirt),[1] is a freshwater lake in the Shannon River Basin, Ireland. It is the third-biggest on the island of Ireland (after Lough Neagh and Lough Corrib) and the second largest lake in the Republic of Ireland.
It is a long, narrow lake, with shores in counties Clare (south-west), Galway (north-west), and Tipperary (to the east). It is the southernmost of three large lakes on the River Shannon; the others being Lough Ree and Lough Allen. Towns and villages on Lough Derg include Portumna, Killaloe & Ballina, Dromineer, Terryglass, Mountshannon and Garrykennedy.
The lake's name evolved from the Irish Loch Deirgdheirc.[1] This was one of the names of The Dagda, the father of gods and men in Irish mythology, and literally means "red eye".[2]
Lough Derg has many islands including Inis Cealtra or Holy Island.
- ^ a b "Placenames Database of Ireland". Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
- ^ MacKillop, James. Myths and Legends of the Celts. Penguin, 2006. p.137