Loughrea Lake
The town is named after the water at its southern edge: Loch Riach, the speckled lake. Walk down from the cathedral and the lake path runs along the shore, past the swimming spot and the boats. Tradition gives it two beginnings, a well that burst during a battle of gods in the shape of deer, and a town that sank beneath the water.
Checked against the source on 2026-09-19.
Anthony2285, public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Lough Rea, St. Brendan's Cathedral, St Brendan's Wells on the 3D model; tap a pin for its page and directions.
In the water
The lake holds brown trout, perch, pike, rudd, eel and both the three-spined and nine-spined stickleback. The wildlife and the lakeshore walks make it the town's main open space, and the Lough Rea guide on this site covers the lake's place in Loughrea's history in more detail.
In the stories
One dindsenchas-style tale says that pre-Christian deities fought here as deer and the force of their battle burst a well, which became the lake; another says a town once stood where the water is and was drowned. The model on this page pins the lake, the cathedral and St Brendan's wells.
Questions people ask
What does Loughrea mean?
What fish are in Loughrea Lake?
Written from Wikipedia, "Lough Rea" (CC BY-SA 4.0), read on 2026-09-19, and from the OpenStreetMap places on the model. Nothing has been added from memory; follow the source for its footnotes.