Lough
From Free net encyclopedia
A lough is a body of water and either:
- a lake
- a sea lough, which may be a fjord, estuary, bay or sea inlet.
- the surname Lough, with various pronunciations: law, loch, low, lowe.
Lough is an anglicised form of loch, which is an Irish Gaelic and Scots Gaelic word. Loch is also used in Irish English and Scottish English. Loch is used in Scotland for the Lowland Scots, Gaelic and English names for lakes as well as surnames. In Ireland Lough was introduced by English administrators as the anglicised form of Loch. Lough is also used for some bodies of water in the far north of England.
Except when individually named loughs are often referred to as lakes, fjords, estuaries and sea inlets. Thus lake district and estuary bed may be used in preference to lough district and lough bed. (This practice is not followed to anything like the same degree in English use of loch).
Contents |
Irish loughs
Almost all lakes in the Ireland are named as "loughs " in their anglicised form. Lough Neagh in Ulster is the largest lake in Ireland and is bigger than any lake in Britain. The three on the River Shannon are Lough Allen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Upper and Lower Lough Erne are two consecutive lakes in Fermanagh, an area often referred to as "Ireland's lake district". For other loughs in Ireland, see List of Irish lochs and loughs.
Sea loughs include Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle.
English loughs
In the north of England, "lough" survives in the name of some bodies of water and other place names. Many of these are in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall, and also in the Lake District. See List of English loughs.