The Irish magic behind disappearing lakes
Cases of disappearing lakes have been reported around the world, from Chile to Russia, the phenomenon shocks onlookers and bemuses many but in the West of Ireland there is a very good explanation. In fact Ireland has its very own kind of disappearing lake, the turlough.
Lakes, such as Turlough Lake, County Mayo (pictured above) or Lake Funshinagh, County Roscommon, which are found in the limestone areas in the West of Ireland have a tendencies to drain away into the ground. The limestone is cracked and porous and the water simply drains away.
The name, turlough, in Irish means a dry place. The lakes are found in the karst landscape, most famously found in the Burren, County Clare. There’s only one example of a turlough outside Ireland and that’s in Llandeilo, Britain.
Though the sight of seeing a lake completely disappear might seem completely potty for turloughs it is historically and geographically normal that they seep into the ground.
During the fall the turloughs flood, usually in October. Then between April and July and turlough becomes very dry often disappearing completely.
Just five kilometers outside Galway City is the most dramatic turlough. The Caherglassaun Lough has been known to flood and empty again twice every 24 hours.
Rest assured that disappearing lakes are not caused by global warming or the fairy people instead it’s simply excessive rain and a leaky floor.
3 Comments
See all comments
Report abuse
Report abuse
- The Irish World War II shame - Irish soldiers...
- Many moderate bishops oppose anti-Obama line...
- Why the Catholic church is wrong, yet again,...
- Why a brain dead immigration policy is harming.
- Notre Dame lawsuit on health law is a huge...
- The Gathering 2013 in Ireland deserves a...
- Pope Benedict should not throw nuns under...
- Mother of six is jailed for three years in...
- Irish nun quits Catholic church after claiming.
- The Catholic Civil Warrior - Patrick J Reilly,.
- Cheryl Hines tweets of new life with RFK...
- One Direction's Zayn Malik and Little Mix's...
- One Direction's Niall Horan discusses stardom:.
- Lionsgate wants Robert Pattinson as star...
- Despite US and Australia success One Direction.
- Channing Tatum shocked Rachel McAdams by...
- Many moderate bishops oppose anti-Obama line...
- Irish woman carrying her father’s child claims.
- The Irish World War II shame - Irish soldiers...
- Little known Canadian actress Holly Deveaux...
- Many moderate bishops oppose anti-Obama line...
- Ireland basks in summer sunshine as heatwave...
- The Irish World War II shame - Irish soldiers...
- Cheryl Hines tweets of new life with RFK...
- Want to live in a four-star luxury hotel...
- Teenage sweethearts marry after 64 years...
- The Gathering 2013 in Ireland deserves a...
- Irish nun quits Catholic church after claiming.
- Irish J1 students scammed out of $5,000 in...
- Sports Digest: Robbie Keane ready for action...
Pub Guide
3 Comments



Report abuse