Keshcarrigan Lough
Keshcarrigan Lough is a mesotrophic freshwater lake near Keshcarrigan in County Leitrim. Known for quality coarse fishing, the lake allows bank fishing from concrete stands on the northern shore, two with wheelchair access.
The ecology of Keshcarrigan Lough, and other county waterways, is threatened by curly waterweed (Lagarosiphon major), zebra mussel, and freshwater clam, each an invasive species.[1][2]
The lake's name is from the townland, Keshcarrigan, on its shore. That name in turn is from Ceis Charraigín, meaning 'Kesh, or causeway, near the little rock, lake'.
Geography
Keshcarrigan Lough lies due south of Keshcarrigan village and Lough Scur, in Kiltubrid parish in the south of County Leitrim. The lake forms a tilted oblong shape, with a surface-area of 96 acres,[3][4] with depths of 13 feet.[3] The level of Keshcarrigan Lough is the same as Lough Scur, and a channel of about 500 yards connects both lakes.[4]
The lake is bounded by the townlands of Keshcarrigan to the north, Clooney to the south, Laheen to the west, Carrick to the north, and Toomans to the east.
Wildlife
Fish present in Keshcarrigan Lough include "roach-bream hybrids", roach, perch, bream up to 4 lbs, and pike.[3][5] The pike population is the "native Irish strain" liús, or 'Irish pike') not the pike strain found elsewhere in the British Islaes and Eurioe, known in Ireland as gailliasc meaning 'strange or foreign fish').[1] The lake has stocks of pike up to 8 lbs.[3]
Crayfish
A thriving population of white-clawed crayfish was reported here in 2009.[6] Keshcarrigan Lough, with a shallow rocky shore, has some ideal potential white-clawed crayfish habitat,[7] but the ecology is seriously threatened by zebra mussel infestation,[8] and indiscriminate importation of non-indigenous crayfish species.[9]
Outside links
- "Keshcarrigan Townland, Co. Leitrim". https://www.townlands.ie/leitrim/leitrim/kiltubbrid/keshcarrigan/keshcarrigan/.
- "Ceis Charraigín/Keshcarrigan". https://www.logainm.ie/29311.aspx.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Pedreschi et al. 2014.
- ↑ Clenaghan, Clinton & Crowe 2005, pp. 16.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 anglingireland.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 MacMahon 1845, pp. 23.
- ↑ discoverireland.ie 2017.
- ↑ O’Connor et al. 2007, pp. 66.
- ↑ O’Connor et al. 2007, pp. 39-40.
- ↑ O’Connor et al. 2007, pp. 30.
- ↑ Reynolds 2011, pp. 124.
- Joyce, Patrick Weston (1883). The Geography of the Counties of Ireland. https://archive.org/download/originhistoryof03joyc/originhistoryof03joyc.pdf#page=187.
- anglingireland. "Satellite Pike Waters in the Ballinamore and Keshcarrigan area". Inland Fisheries Ireland. http://www.fishinginireland.info/pike/north/ballinamoreother.htm.
- Reynolds, Julian D. (2011). White-Clawed Crayfish in Ireland - under increasing threat. Species Survival: Securing white-clawed crayfish in a changing environment. Proceedings of a Conference held on 16 and 17 November 2010 in Bristol, UK.. pp. 120–128. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261633453.
- Pedreschi, D.; Kelly-Quinn, M.; Caffrey, J; O'Grady, M.; Mariani, S.; Phillimore, A. (2014), "Genetic structure of pike (Esox lucius) reveals a complex and previously unrecognized colonization history of Ireland", Journal of Biogeography (Journal of Biogeography, 41(3), 548–560.) 41 (3): 548–560, doi:10.1111/jbi.12220, PMID 25435649
- discoverireland.ie (2017). "Coarse Angling Keshcarrigan". http://www.discoverireland.ie/Activities-Adventure/coarse-angling-keshcarrigan/71448.