- Lough Hyne
Lough Hyne is a marine
lake inWest Cork ,Ireland , about 5km southwest ofSkibbereen . It was designated as Ireland's firstMarine Nature Reserve in 1981.Lough Hyne was probably a
freshwater lake until about fourmillennia ago, when risingsea level sflood ed it withsaline ocean water . The lake is now fed bytidal currents that rush in from theAtlantic throughBarloge Creek . The stretch between the creek and the lake is known as "The Rapids." The lake's small size, only 0.8 km by 0.6 km, creates an unusual habitat of highlyoxygenate d yet warmseawater that sustains an enormous variety ofplant s andanimal s, many of which are not found anywhere else in Ireland. A wide variety of environments such ascliff s,salt marsh ,beach , and areas of greatly varying water movement add to the area'sbiodiversity . Some of theseawall s around the lake and the Rapids were built as relief work during theGreat Hunger .Scientific investigation of the area began in
1886 when Rev.William Spottswood Green first recorded the presence of the purplesea urchin "Paracentrotus lividus ". More studies commenced in 1923 and continued throughout the 20th century. Several laboratories were constructed near the shores of the lake, supporting research into areas such as theseagrass beds and marineinvertebrate s.The area is a tourist draw. The ruins of
Saint Bridgit 's Church are on the shores of the lake, as well as St. Brigid'swell , where the imprints of her knees are said to be visible in therocks . Castle Island is located in the center of the lake. Theisland contains the ruins ofCloghan Castle , once afortress of the O'Driscollclan . Although the island is in the center of the Marine Reserve, it is not part of the protected area.ee also
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List of Irish lochs and loughs References
* [http://www.skibbheritage.com/hyne.htm The Skibbereen Heritage Center]
* [http://www.ucc.ie/zeps/pages/research/res_loch_hyne.htm The history of scientific research at Lough Hyne]
* [http://www.myguideireland.com/lough-hyne Tourist information]
* [http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1981/en/si/0206.html#zzsi206y1981 The establishment of Lough Hyne as a Marine Reserve, including a map of the Reserve]Further reading
*Norton, T.A. 2001. "And in the beginning... the Pioneering Ecological work at Lough Hyne." in Marine Biodiversity in Ireland and Adjacent Waters. Proceedings of a Conference 26 - 27 April 2001. Ulster Museum publication no. 8.
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