freshwater
Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does in ...
lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in southwest
County Mayo
County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the yew trees") is a county in Ireland. In the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Coun ...
on the
Murrisk
Murrisk () is a village in County Mayo, Ireland, on the south side of Clew Bay, about 8 km west of Westport and 4 km east of Lecanvey.
Murrisk lies at the foot of Croagh Patrick and is the starting-point for pilgrims who visit the ...
peninsula.
Geography
Doo Lough measures about long and wide. It lies about southwest of Westport near the village of
Delphi
Delphi (; ), in legend previously called Pytho (Πυθώ), in ancient times was a sacred precinct that served as the seat of Pythia, the major oracle who was consulted about important decisions throughout the ancient classical world. The oracl ...
. The lake runs in a narrow northwest to southeast direction, and is overlooked by the long ridge of
, on its southwest shores, and by Barrclashcame on its northeast shores. At its southeast head, lies the
massif
In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...
of Ben Gorm .
A notable feature on its northwestern head it the deep corrie of Lug More (or ga, Coum Dubh), from which the Glencullin River feeds into the neighboring Lough Glencullin (the bottom of the corrie is also called the Glencullin valley). Surrounding the corrie is the long ridge of Ben Lugmore and its several subsidiary summits,
; while cutting across the headwall (from bottom left to upper right), is grenn grassy feature known as ''The Ramp'', which is used by climbers to gain the ridge of Ben Lugmore from the shores of Doo Lough.
Hydrology
Doo Lough is one of a set of connected lakes near Delphi. Glencullin Lough flows into Doo Lough, which in turn flows into
Fin Lough
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. ...
via the Owengarr River. Fin Lough in turn drains into
Killary Harbour
Killary Harbour or Killary Fjord () is a fjord or fjard on the west coast of Ireland, in northern Connemara. To its north is County Mayo and the mountains of Mweelrea and Ben Gorm; to its south is County Galway and the Maumturk Mountains.
Str ...
via the Bundorragha River.
Natural history
Fish species in Doo Lough include
brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morp ...
,
sea trout
Sea trout is the common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of e ...
,
perch
Perch is a common name for fish of the genus ''Perca'', freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which three species occur in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Per ...
,
salmon
Salmon () is the common name
In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of ...
,
Arctic char
The Arctic char or Arctic charr (''Salvelinus alpinus'') is a cold-water fish in the family Salmonidae, native to alpine lakes and arctic and subarctic coastal waters. Its distribution is Circumpolar North. It spawns in freshwater and popu ...
,
three-spined stickleback
The three-spined stickleback (''Gasterosteus aculeatus'') is a fish native to most inland and coastal waters north of 30°N. It has long been a subject of scientific study for many reasons. It shows great morphological variation throughout its ra ...
and the critically endangered
European eel
The European eel (''Anguilla anguilla'') is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They are normally around and rarely reach more than , but can reach a length of up to in exceptional cases.
Eels have been important sources of ...
. The lake is part of the Mweelrea/Sheeffry/Erriff Complex
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...
.
Famine memorial
The northern end of Doo Lough is the site of a stone
Celtic cross
The Celtic cross is a form of Christian cross featuring a nimbus or ring that emerged in Ireland, France and Great Britain in the Early Middle Ages. A type of ringed cross, it became widespread through its use in the stone high crosses e ...
which was erected as a memorial to the 1849
Doolough Tragedy
The Doolough Tragedy is an event that took place during the Great Irish Famine close to Doo Lough in southwest County Mayo. At least seven (and perhaps 20 or significantly more) starving people died after being "forced to walk for miles to pre ...
.
Gallery
File:Ben Lugmore and Doo Lough from the south ridge of Barrclashcame.jpg, Full ridge of Ben Lugmore, viewed from across Doo Lough, on Barrclashcame
File:Ben Lugmore and Lug More corrie (Coum Dubh) from Doo Lough Pass (Glencullin Valley) 1.jpg, Looking into the corrie of Lug More ( ga, Coum Dubh), and the headwall of
, with ''The Ramp'' running diagonally across the face.
File:Mweelrea (back left), and Ben Lugmore (centre), from summit of Ben Gorm.jpg,
Mweelrea
Mweelrea (; ) at , is the 26th-highest peak in Ireland on the Arderin scale, and the 34th-highest peak on the Vandeleur-Lynam scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Co ...
(centre), and Doo Lough (right), from summit of Ben Gorm
File:Doo Lough Valley - panoramio.jpg, Looking southeast from the top of Doo Lough towards the massif of Ben Gorm
File:Famine Memorial, Doo Lough, County Mayo. Ireland.jpg, Famine Memorial
See also
*
List of loughs in Ireland
This is an alphabetical list of loughs (lakes) on the island of Ireland. It also shows a table of the largest loughs. The word '' lough'' is pronounced like ''loch'' () and comes from the Irish ''loch'', meaning ''lake''.
According to the Enviro ...
References
{{Reflist, refs =
{{cite web , url = http://www.logainm.ie/en/114180 , title = Dúloch/Doo Lough , work =
Placenames Database of Ireland
The Placenames Database of Ireland ( ga, Bunachar Logainmneacha na hÉireann), also known as , is a database and archive of place names in Ireland. It was created by Fiontar, Dublin City University in collaboration with the Placenames Branch of t ...
Dublin City University
Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland, university based on the Northside, Dublin, Northside of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Cre ...
, access-date = 3 January 2016{{Google maps , url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Doo+Lough,+Co.+Mayo,+Ireland/@53.6510423,-9.7806554,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x485a2adda03d7bf1:0x3f92de86dcc70a85?hl=en , title = Doo Lough , access-date = 3 January 2016{{cite report , last1 = Free , first1 = Gary , last2 = Little , first2 = Ruth , last3 = Tierney , first3 = Deirdre , last4 = Donnelly , first4 = Karol , last5 = Caroni , first5 = Rossana , name-list-style = amp , url = https://www.epa.ie/publications/research/water/Final-Report-(2000-FS1-M1).pdf#page=17 , title = A Reference Based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes , date = 2006 , pages = 11 , publisher =
Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for protecting and improving the environment as a valuable asset for the people of Ireland. It operates independently under the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
H ...
, access-date = 11 October 2022{{cite web , url = http://wfdfish.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Doo_report_2012.pdf , title = Water Framework Directive Fish Stock Survey of Doo Lough , publisher = Inland Fisheries Ireland , date = October 2012 , access-date = 3 January 2016{{cite web , url = http://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/protected-sites/synopsis/SY001932.pdf , title = Mweelrea/Sheeffry/Erriff Complex SAC , publisher =
National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service () manages the Irish State's nature conservation responsibilities. As well as managing the national parks, the activities of the NPWS include the designation and protection of Natural Heritage Areas, Special ...