Lough Macnean
| Lower Lough MacNean | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland |
| Coordinates | 54 |
| Lake type | Freshwater |
| Primary outflows | Arney River |
| Basin countries | Northern Ireland |
| Islands | Cushrush Island, Jinny's Island |
Lough MacNean (Irish : Loch Mac nÉan Íochtair) is a large, freshwater lake in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lake is fed by a small river which flows from Upper Lough MacNean into the lake at a bridging point near the village of Belcoo. The lake then empties into the Arney River.
The lake contains two islands, Cushrush Island is the larger of these and it has been extensively farmed, there is also Inishee or Jinny's Island which is smaller and is completely forested. A causeway was built out to Cushrush Island in the 1960s to allow animals to be moved more easily out to the land on the island.
Cushrush Island appears to have been inhabited since the Mesolithic period as there have been many deposits of microlithic flint tools found upon the island.
The shape of Lough MacNean was changed dramatically during the 1960s when a major draining operation took place, the lake was used for Eel fishing before this but dredging during the drainage process decimated their numbers.
See also
External links
- Northern Ireland Environment Agency: The Lough Macnean Valley