- Lough Key
Infobox lake
lake_name = Lough Key
image_lake = IMG LoughKee1736.jpg
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location =County Roscommon
coords = Coord|54|0|N|8|15|W|region:IE_type:waterbody|display=inline,title
type =
inflow =
outflow =
catchment =
basin_countries =Ireland
length =
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shore =
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islands = 30 (Castle Island, Stag Island, Bullock Island, and Drummand Island)
cities =Lough Key is a
lake inIreland . It is located in the northeast ofConnacht , to the northeast of the town of Boyle. Thelough 's name is believed to come from Ce', a legendarydruid who, according to legend,drown ed when the lake was created.The lake is several kilometres across, almost
circular , and contains over thirty woodedisland s including Castle Island, Stag Island, Bullock Island, and Drummand Island. Castle Island contains a castle known as Macdermott's Castle (formerly McGreevys Castle) for one of the most important traditional families in the district. It is a finetrout and coarse fish lake.Immediately to the
south of the lough isLough Key Forest Park , a popular destination for recreational walkers. The park covers 800acre s (3.2 km²), and was formerly part of the Rockingham estate. TheMoylurg Tower , standing on the site of the old Rockingham house, now stands overlooking the wonderful lake to thenorth and impressivelawn s to the south. This was the seat of the Stafford-King-Harman family until 1957, who at the end of the nineteenth century owned over 30,000 acres (120 km²) in northCounty Roscommon andCounty Sligo . The impressive Rockingham House itself was badly damaged in a fire in 1957 and was demolished in 1970, despite earlier pledges by theIrish government to restore this historically important building.
Sir Cecil Stafford-King-Harman (1895-1987), 2nd and last Baronet of Rockingham, ensured that the land went back to the people of Ireland through theIrish Land Commission , who subdivided thepasture land into severalfarm s of fifty acres or so on average and granted these to local people . Through a far-sighted government decision an extensive area around the then derelict Rockingham house became the Forest Park and this was looked after by the Department of Forestry. It is currently in the care ofCoillte , a semi-state body. The park contains the remains of fivering fort s, giving evidence of the long habitation of this region. There are many amenities in the park including boat tours, boats for hire, water activities [http://www.loughkeyboats.com/] ,camping andcaravan park, an outdoor playground and shop.The area surrounding the lake is significant in
mediaeval Irish literature and legend. Starting around 1000 AD, theAnnals of Boyle were compiled on Trinity Island, and from 1253 to 1590 the Annals of Lough Key continued from where the Boyle annals ended. Lough Key was also the site for the legend of Una Bháin. Famedharp istTurlough O'Carolan is buried at Kilronan, three miles (5 km) to the north of the lake.The lake is northern part of the
River Shannon drainage basin , and feeds a shorttributary of that river which joins the main river atLough Drumharlow , km to mi | 13 | abbr=yes | precision=0 to theeast .One can see an impressive view of the lake from the N4 road as it ascends theCurlew Mountains after bypassing Boyle. The view is enhanced by a modernsteel sculpture of an Irish chieftain mounted onhorseback (seephotograph ).ee also
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List of Irish loughs External links
* [http://www.coillteoutdoors.ie/?id=53&rec_site=42 Coillte Lough Key]
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