Key facts
- Location
- Northern Ireland , UK
- Type
- Fresh Water Lough/Lake
- Primary inflows
- Upper Bann, Six Mile Water , Glenavy River, Crumlin River, Blackwater , Moyola River , Ballinderry River, River Main
- Primary outflows
- Lower Bann
- Catchment area
- 1,760 mi (4,550 km )
- Basin countries
- Northern Ireland (91%) Republic of Ireland (9%)
- Max length
- 19 mi (31 km)
- Max width
- 9.3 mi (15.0 km)
- Surface area
- 151 mi (390 km )
- Average depth
- 30 ft (9.1 m)
- Max depth
- 80 ft (24 m)
- Water volume
- 0.85 mi (3.5 km )
Article
Lough Neagh (/lɒx ˈneɪ/ lokh NAY; Irish: Loch nEathach [l̪ˠɔx ˈn̠ʲaha(x)]) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake on the island of Ireland and in the British Isles. It has a surface area of 148 square miles (383 square kilometres) and is about 19 miles (31 km) long and 9 miles (14 km) wide. According to Northern Ireland Water, it supplies 40.7% of Northern Ireland's drinking water.
Its main inflows are the Upper River Bann and Blackwater, and its main outflow is the Lower Bann. There are several small islands, including Ram's Island, Coney Island and Derrywarragh Island. The lake bed is owned by the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury and the lake is managed by Lough Neagh Partnership. Its name comes from Irish Loch nEachach [ˌl̪ˠɔx ˈn̠ʲahəx], meaning "Eachaidh's lake".