The archipelago of the lake

The archipelago of the lake

Lough Derg--Islands--Archipelago--Description

“Lough Derg consists of two large sheets of water, which may be designated the upper and lower lakes..."

Daniel O'Connor, 1843-1919

Daniel O’Connor, Lough Derg and Its Pilgrimages: With Map and Illustrations, pp. 25-6

J. Dollard, Dublin

1879

Digitised by archive.org, sponsored by Harvard University

Public domain

Monograph

English

Pilgrim handbook

Text

DD_0028

54.616218, -7.876212

http://archive.org/details/loughdergandits00ocogoog

“Lough Derg consists of two large sheets of water, which may be designated the upper and lower lakes. The upper lake is connected with the lower by means of three channels formed by Saints' Island and an islet lying north-east of it, called by that name of bad omen, ‘The Wildgoose Lodge.’ The principal streams flowing into the lake are called the rivers Fluchlynn and Barderg, which fall into Lough Derg at its north-western extremity. The outlet is called the River Derg, which issues from the lake at the north-eastern shore, and pursues its winding way till it mingles with the ocean at Lough Foyle.

Lough Derg is bespangled with numerous and pretty islands, some crowned with stunted trees, some bared to the mountain breezes. The principal of these islands are Inishgoosk, alias Bilberry Island; Saints' Island, Station Island, Prior's Island, Allingham's Island, Ash Islands, Boat Islands, near the quay; Stormy Islands, Kelly's Isles, Goat Islands, near the River Fluchlynn; Derg More Island. Derg Beg Island, Trough Island and Bull's Island. Besides these, there are a good many other islets with no particular designation; and which, with few exceptions, are mere groups of barren rocks, where cranes, cormorants and sea-gulls nestle, imparting by their wild and plaintive screams a lonely and romantic charm to this island
hermitage. In the above enumeration Saints' Island seems to have been sometimes called St. Fintan's Island, and very often St. Dabheoc's Island. Inishgoosk would appear to be the most ancient name at present attached to any of these islands ; and it may be taken to mean the island of the cove, or creek, on account of its formation at its western extremity.”

Monograph