| Derryclare Lough | |
| Pushpin Map: | Island of Ireland |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Derryclare Lough location in Ireland |
| Pushpin Label Position: | none |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Ireland |
| Location: | County Galway |
| Catchment: | 111.73km2 |
| Basin Countries: | Ireland |
| Length: | 4km (02miles) |
| Width: | 1km (01miles) |
| Area: | 2.24km2 |
| Elevation: | 10m (30feet) |
Derryclare Lough is a freshwater lake at the entrance of the Inagh Valley, in Connemara, County Galway, in the west of Ireland.
Derryclare Lough is located about 20km (10miles) east of Clifden on the N59 road. The Twelve Bens mountain range lies to the north of the lake, with the Ben of Derryclare 677m (2,221feet) overlooking the lake itself. Derryclare Lough is fed from rivers from Lough Inagh, which itself is fed from several mountain streams in the area, but most importantly from the Gleninagh River that starts high up in the Gleninagh Valley on the slopes of Benbaun and Bencollaghduff, and the Tooreennacoona River. Derryclare Lough flows into Ballynahinch Lake, where it eventually joins the Owenmore River, and flows into Bertraghboy Bay.
Derryclare Lough is noted for its lake and river fishing with spring salmon, grilse and sea trout, and the fishing is done from "Butts" (e.g. long piers from the shore), and particularly the Derryclare Butts, Glendollagh Butts, and the Greenpoint Butts. The Lough and its fishing rights are privately owned and controlled by local fishing lodges in the Inagh Valley.[1] Irish fishing author, Peter O'Reilly, said about Derryclare Lough that "This fishery has everything".[2] [3]
The lake is a popular scenic location, and extensively photographed, and offers views directly into the Glencoaghan Valley of the Twelve Bens and the peaks of the Glencoaghan Horseshoe, a 16–kilometre 8–9 hour route that is considered one of Ireland's best hill-walks.[4] [5] [6] The lough bounds the 19-hectare Derryclare Nature Reserve a Statutory Nature Reserve, and the larger 789-hectare Derryclare Wood, a Coillte owned commercial conifer forest.[7]