Lough Derg, County Donegal

Lough Derg
Loch Dearg
Station Island
Location County Donegal, Ireland
Coordinates 54°36′50″N 7°52′20″W / 54.61389°N 7.87222°W / 54.61389; -7.87222Coordinates: 54°36′50″N 7°52′20″W / 54.61389°N 7.87222°W / 54.61389; -7.87222
Basin countries Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland
Surface area 890 hectares (2,200 acres)

Lough Derg or Loch Derg (Irish: Loch Dearg)[1] is a lake in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. It is near the border with Northern Ireland and lies about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of the border village of Pettigo. It is best known for St Patrick's Purgatory, a site of pilgrimage on Station Island in the lake.

The lake is about 890 hectares (2,200 acres) in size, but is quite shallow, making it dangerous during bad weather.[2] It has stocks of pike, perch and brown trout for angling.

Annual Pilgrimage

Pilgrims at Lough Derg

The traditional three-day pilgrimage follows a one-thousand-year-old pattern. It begins on any day between June the first and August the 13th and lasts three days during which participants may only have one Lough Derg meal each day. On arrival on the island, participants remove footwear and socks before commencing vocal prayers, walking around the island. A 24-hour night vigil then takes place. Generally, pilgrims depart on the morning of the third day and complete their fast at midnight that night[3] Organisers prohibit children under fifteen years from participating in the fast.

Islands

Saint Patrick's Purgatory in a map of 1666

Including Station Island, there are about 30 islands and islets in Lough Derg, including:[4]

  • Allingham's Island
  • Ash Island
  • Boat Island
  • Bull's Island
  • Derg Beg Island
  • Derg More Island
  • Friar's Island
  • Goose Lodge
  • Gravelands Islands
  • Illan Philipboy
  • Inishgoosk
  • Kelly's Isles
  • Long Island
  • Saints Island (on which there is a graveyard and the buried ruins of a monastery)
  • Trough Island

See also

References

  1. ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland
  2. ↑ National Regional Fisheries Board Archived 2007-11-19 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ Official website
  4. ↑ Ordnance Survey Ireland: Map Viewer


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