The Lake of the Bloody Eye
Lough Derg
From the peaceful scenic beauty of this lake, one might never guess that Lough Derg has a tumultuous past. As Ireland's third largest lake, Derg is now known as a Ireland's Pleasure Lake, where tourists from abroad come to enjoy all the water sports and outdoor ventures Derg has to offer.
But Lough Derg is also a lake shrouded in myth and history. Covering 32,000 acres, Derg is a veritable inland sea, though it is freshwater. From the Middle Ages and before Derg's channel served as one of Ireland's oldest routes for travel and commerce. Monks and hermits from it's various monasteries tried to lead peaceful existences, but the clans and Viking invaders vying for control of the region often kept peace just out of reach.
Lough Derg, meaning "Red" or "Blood Lake" served as a constant naval battleground from early times. Ireland's famed High King, Brian Boru, lead many naval conquests against Vikings and opposing clansmen upon its waters. Some of the more infamous battles occurred between his clan, the Dal Cais, and the O'Connors of Connacht. These bloody feuds earned Derg the title: The Lake of the Bloody Eye.
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