Ballynahinch Lake () is a

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 include ...

lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the

Connemara Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speak ...

area of

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

Geography

Ballynahinch Lake measures about long and wide. It is located about east of

Clifden Clifden (, meaning "stepping stones") is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Cap ...

and about northwest of

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

city. The

Twelve Bens , photo=Boats and mountains, Roundstone (6047965086).jpg , photo_caption= View of the range from Roundstone village. , region = Connacht , region_type = Provinces of Ireland , translation = The peaks of Beola , language = Irish language ...

mountain range lies to the north of the lake, with

Benlettery Benlettery () at , is the 259th–highest peak in Ireland on the Lists of mountains in Ireland#Arderins, Arderin scale.Mountainviews, (September 2013), "A Guide to Ireland's Mountain Summits: The Vandeleur-Lynams & the Arderins", Collins Books, ...

directly overlooking.

Ballynahinch Castle Ballynahinch Castle is a former Ireland, Irish country house and estate, built on the site of a former castle, which is now a luxury hotel set in a private estate in the Connemara region of County Galway, Ireland. The castle lies on the edge of ...

lies on the west shores.

Hydrology

Ballynahinch Lake is fed by

Derryclare Lough Derryclare Lough () is a freshwater lake at the entrance of the Inagh Valley, in Connemara, Galway, in the west of Ireland. Geography Derryclare Lough is located about east of Clifden on the N59 road. The Twelve Bens mountain range lies to the ...

at its eastern end (which is in turn fed by the neighboring

Lough Inagh Lough Inagh () is a freshwater lake in the Inagh Valley, in Connemara, Galway, in the west of Ireland. Geography Lough Inagh is located about east of Clifden on the R344 road in the Inagh Valley. The Twelve Bens range lies to the west of the ...

), and it drains to the south via the small Owenmore River – also called the ''Ballynahinch River'', and not to be confused with the

Owenmore River (County Mayo) The Owenmore River ( ga, An Abhainn Mhór) is a river in northwest County Mayo, Ireland. It is big spate river and drains a large area of bogs, moorland and mountains. Course The Owenmore River rises in the Nephin Beg Range, flowing first nor ...

– which in turn enters Bertraghboy Bay.

Natural history

Fish species in Ballynahinch Lake include

salmon Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...

and

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'' morph ...

. Ballynahinch Lake is part of The Twelve Bens/Garraun 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 ap ...

References

{{Reflist, refs = {{cite web , url = http://www.logainm.ie/en/1166332 , title = Loch Bhaile na hInse/Ballynahinch Lake , 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 ...

, publisher = Government of Ireland - Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and

Dublin City University Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the ''National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin'' in 1975, it enrolled its f ...

, access-date = 27 December 2015 {{Google maps , url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ballynahinch+Lake,+Co.+Galway,+Ireland/@53.465498,-9.8538506,14z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x485a31abd7b16a59:0xb0174bde8f9260ea?hl=en , title = Ballynahinch Lake , access-date = 27 December 2015 {{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=16 , title = A Reference Based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes , date = 2006 , pages = 10 , 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. Hi ...

, access-date = 12 October 2022 {{cite web , url = https://fishinginireland.info/salmon/west/ballynahinch/ , title = Ballynahinch and Lough Inagh , publisher =

Inland Fisheries Ireland Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI; ga, Iascach Intíre Éireann) is a state agency responsible for fisheries management of freshwater fish and coastal fish with 12 nautical miles of the shore. A separate agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, is responsible f ...

, access-date = 15 June 2020 {{cite web , url = http://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/protected-sites/synopsis/SY002031.pdf , title = The Twelve Bens/Garraun Complex SPA , 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 ...

, access-date = 27 December 2015

Ballynahinch Ballynahinch may refer to: Northern Ireland * Ballynahinch, County Armagh, a townland *Ballynahinch, County Down, a town Republic of Ireland *Ballynahinch (barony), in County Galway *Ballynahinch, County Galway, a townland in County Galway * Bally ...

Geography

Hydrology

Natural history

See also

References