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Lough Ree

Lough Ree

Lough Ree (Loch Rí in Irish) is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes along the length of the river. The lake serves as a border between the counties of Longford and Westmeath (both in the province of Leinster) on the eastern side and County Roscommon in the province of Connacht on the eastern side. The lake is popular for fishing and boating. The lake supports a small commercial eel fishery and is locally famous for its eels on wheels truck. The town of Athlone is situated at the southern end of the lake, and has a harbour for boats going out on the lake. The small town of Lanesboro is at the northern end of the lake. The island of Inchcleraun (Inis Cloithreann) in the northern part of the lake is the site of a monastery founded in the early Christian era and contains the remains of several ancient churches. In Irish legends, it was on this island that Queen Maeve was killed. :See also: List of Irish lochs and loughs Ree

Lough Ree

Lake

A Lake is a body of water surrounded by land. The majority of lakes are fresh water, and most lie in the northern hemisphere at higher latitudes. Large lakes are sometimes referred to as "inland seas" and small seas are sometimes referred to as lakes. The term lake is also used to describe a feature such as Lake Eyre, which is dry most of the time but becomes filled under seasonal conditions of heavy rainfall. Many lakes are artificial and are constructed for hydro-electric power supply, recreation (swimming, wind surfing,...), water supply, etc. Finland is known as The Land of the Thousands Lakes (actually there are 187,888 lakes in Finland, 60,000 of them are big ones) and Minnesota is known as The Land of Ten Thousand Lakes. The Great Lakes of North America originated in the ice age. Over 60% of the world's lakes are in Canada; this is because of the deranged drainage system that dominates the country.

Origin of natural lakes

Most lakes are young, as the natural results of erosion will tend to wear away one of the basin sides containing the lake. There are a number of natural processes that can form lakes. A recent tectonic uplift of a mountain range can create bowl-shaped depressions that accumulate water and form lakes. The advance and retreat of glaciers can scrape depressions in the surface where lakes accumulate. Such lakes are common in Scandinavia, Siberia and Canada. Lakes can also form by means of landslides or by glacial blockages. An example of the latter occurred during the last ice age in the state of Washington, when a huge lake formed behind a glacial flow. When the ice retreated, the result was an immense flood that created the Dry Falls Monument at Sun Lakes, Washington. Saline lakes can form where there is no natural outlet or the water evaporates rapidly, and the drainage surface of the water table has a higher than normal salt content. Examples of salt lakes include the Great Salt Lake, the Caspian Sea and the Dead Sea. Small, crescent-shaped lakes called oxbow lakes can form in river valleys as the result of meandering. The slow-moving river forms a sinuous shape as the outer side of bends is torn away more rapidly than the inner side. Eventually a horseshoe bend is formed and the river cuts through the narrow neck. This gap now forms the main passage for the river and the ends of the bend become silted up. Lake Vostok is an under-ice lake in Antarctica, possibly the largest in the world. The pressure from ice and the internal chemical composition means that if the lake were drilled into, it may result in a fissure and spraying in the same manner as a shaken can of soda. Some lakes, like Lake Baikal and Lake Tanganyika are volcanic in origin, and lie on geological fault lines. The Crater Lake in Oregon is a lake located within the caldera of an extinct volcano. Some lakes come into existence as a result of sinkhole activity.

Characteristics

The change in level of a lake is controlled by the difference between the sources of inflow and outflow, compared to the total volume of the lake. The significant input sources are precipitation onto the lake; runoff carried by streams and channels from the lake's catchment area; groundwater channels and aquifers, and man-made sources from outside the catchment area. Output sources are evaporation from the lake; surface and groundwater flows, and any extraction of lake water by humans. As climate conditions and human water requirements vary, these will create fluctuations in the lake level. Lakes can be categorized on the basis of their richness of nutrients, which typically effects plant growth. Nutrient poor lakes are said to be oligotrophic, and are generally clear, having a low concentration of plant life. Mesotropic lakes have good clarity and an average level of nutrients. Eutrophic lakes are enriched with nutrients, resulting in good plant growth and possible algal blooms. A hypertrophic lake is a water body that has been highly enriched with nutrients. These lakes typically have poor clarity and are subject to algal blooms. Lakes typically reach this condition due to human activities, such as heavy use of fertilizers in the lake catchment area. Such lakes are of little use, and have a poor ecosystem.

Types of lakes

A periglacial lake is one in which part of its margin is formed by an ice sheet, ice cap or glacier, the ice having obstructed the natural drainage of the land. A subglacial lake is one which is permanently covered by ice. They can occur under glaciers and ice caps or ice sheets. There are many such lakes, but Lake Vostok in Antarctica is by far the largest. The are kept liquid because the overlying ice acts as a thermal insulator retaining energy introduced to its underside by friction, water percolating through crevasses, by the pressure from the mass of the ice sheet above or by geothermal heating below. Because of the unusual relationship between water's temperature and its density, the water in lakes in temperate climates mixes twice a year. Fresh water is most dense at about 4 degrees Celsius. When the temperature of the water at the surface of a lake reaches the temperature at which water is most dense all the water in the lake can mix, bringing oxygen starved water up from the depths, and bringing oxygen down to decomposing sediments. When the density of surface water differs from that of the deeper water there is a marked barrier layer, the thermocline, that prevents mixing. Deep Temperate lakes can maintain a reservoir of cold water year-round. The reservoir of deep, cold water allows cities to tap that reservoir for deep lake water cooling. Since the water of deep tropical lakes never reaches the temperature where water reaches its maximum density, there is no process that makes the water mix. The deeper layer becomes oxygen starved, and can become saturated with carbon dioxide, and possibly other gases, like sulfur dioxide, if there is even a trace of volcanic activity. Exceptional events, like earthquakes or landslides, which do cause mixing, that brings up the deep layers, can release a vast cloud of toxic gas. The amount of gas that can be dissolved in water is pressure related. As the water surfaces, and the pressure drops, a vast amount of gas cab comes out of solution. Under these circumstances even carbon dioxide is toxic. Carbon dioxide is heavier than air, and the released carbon dioxide flows down the river valley.

Artificial lakes

A reservoir (French: réservoir) is an artificial lake created by flooding land behind a dam. Some of the world's largest lakes are reservoirs. Artificial lakes can also be made deliberately by digging one or by flooding an open-pit mine.

Abiotic and biotic limnology

mine Limnology divides lakes in three zones: littoral zone, which is a sloped area that is close to land; open-water zone, where sunlight is abundant; and deep-water zone, where little sunlight can reach. The depth which light can reach in lakes depends on the density and motion of particles. These particles can be sedimentary or biological in origin and are responsible for the color of the water. Decaying plant matter for instance is responsible for a yellow or brown color, while algae result in greenish water. In very shallow water bodies, iron oxides make water reddish brown. Biological particles are algae and detritus. A sediment particle is in suspension if its weight is less than the random turbidity forces acting upon it. The turbidity is a decisive factor in the transparency of the water. Bottom-dwelling detritivorous fish are responsible for turbid waters, because they stir the mud in search for food. Piscivorous fish eat plant-eating (planktonivorous) fish, thus increasing the number of algae (see aquatic trophic cascade). The light depth or transparency is measured by using a Secchi disk. This is a 20 cm disk with alternating white and black quadrants. The depth at which the disk is no longer visible, is the Secchi depth, and is a measure for transparency. It is commonly used to test eutrophication. A lake moderates the surrounding region's temperature and climate because water has a very high specific heat capacity (4186). In the daytime, the lake can cool the land beside it with local winds, resulting in a sea breeze; in the night, it can warm it, forming a land breeze.

How lakes disappear

A lake may be infilled with deposited sediment, and gradually, the lake becomes a wetland, such as a swamp or marsh. An important difference exists between lowland and highland lakes: lowland lakes are more placid, are less rocky/more sedimentary, have a less sloping bottom, and generally contain more plant life. Large water plants (typically reeds) accelerate this closing process significantly because they trap sediment. Turbid lakes, and lakes with much plant-eating fish, tend to disappear slower. A "disappearing" lake (barely noticeable on a human timescale) typically has a water's edge with extensive plant mats. They become a new habitat for other plants (like peat moss, when conditions are right) and animals, many of which are very rare. Gradually, the lake closes, and young peat may form, forming a fen. In lowland river valleys (allowing the river to meander), the presence of peat is explained by the closing of historical oxbow lakes. In the very last stages of succession, more trees would grow in, eventually turning the wetland into a forest. Some lakes can also disappear seasonally; they are called Intermittent lakes and are typical of karstic terrain. A prime example of this is Lake Cerknica in Slovenia. On June 3, 2005 in Bolotnikovo, Russia, a lake called White Lake vanished in a short period of time (minutes). News sources reported government officials theorized that this strange phenomena may have been caused by a shift on soil underneath the lake which drained water to channels leading to Oka River. Neusiedler See, located in Austria and Hungary, dried up several times for a of number years during the past centuries. As of 2005, it is again rapidly losing water, giving rise to the fear that it will be completely dried up by 2010.

Extraterrestrial lakes

At present the surface of the planet Mars is too cold to permit pooling of liquid water on the surface. However geologic evidence appears to confirm that ancient lakes once formed on the surface. It is also possible that volcanic activity on Mars will occasionally melt the subsurface ice, forming large lakes. Under current conditions this water will quickly evaporate or freeze unless insulated in some manner, such as by a coating of volcanic ash. Jupiter's small moon Io is volcanically active due to tidal stresses, and as a result sulfur deposits have accumulated on the surface. Some photographs taken during the Galileo mission appear to show lakes of liquid sulfur on the surface. There are dark basaltic plains on the Moon, similar to lunar maria but smaller, that are called lacus (singular lacus, Latin for "lake"). They were once thought by early astronomers to be literal lakes.

Notable lakes

- The largest lake in the world by surface area is the Caspian Sea. With a surface area of 394,299 sq. km., it has a surface area greater than the next six largest lakes combined.
- The largest freshwater lake, and second largest lake altogether is Lake Superior with a surface area of 82,414 sq. km. It is also the largest lake in North America and is a part of the Great Lakes.
- The deepest lake is Lake Baikal in Siberia, with a bottom at 1,741 m (5,712 ft.) and is the world's largest freshwater lake by volume.
- The highest navigable lake is lake Titicaca, at 3821 m above sea level. It is also the second largest lake in South America.
- The world's highest lake is Lhagba Pool in Tibet at 6,368 m.
- The world's lowest lake is the Dead Sea, at 396 m (1,302 ft.) below sea level. It is also the lake with the highest salt concentration.
- The largest freshwater-lake island is Manitoulin Island on Lake Huron, with a surface area of 2,766 square km.
- The largest lake located on an island is Nettilling Lake on Baffin Island.
- Lake Toba on the island of Sumatra is located in what is probably the largest resurgent caldera on Earth.
- The largest freshwater lake in Europe is Lake Balaton, followed by Lake Geneva.
- Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. It is a part of the Great Lakes of Africa.
- Lake Maracaibo is the largest lake in South America. Lake Titicaca is the largest freshwater lake in South America.
- The largest lake located completely within the boundaries of a single city is Lake Wanapitei in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Before the current city boundaries came into effect in 2001, this status was held by Lake Ramsey, also in Sudbury.
- Saimaa is the largest lake in Finland (the land of 187,888 lakes).

External links

- [http://www.highestlake.com/ Lists of the highest lakes in the US and the world]
- [http://www.mlswa.org/lkclassif1.htm Lake Classification Systems]
- [http://www.uklakes.net/ UKLakes Database]
- [http://www.midwestlakes.org/ Midwest Lakes Policy Center] Category:Bodies of water Category:Landforms ko:호수 ja:湖 simple:Lake th:ทะเลสาบ

River Shannon

The River Shannon (Irish: Sionainn), Ireland's longest river, divides the West of Ireland (mostly the province of Connaught) from the east and south (Leinster and most of Munster). The river has been an important waterway since antiquity. First mapped by Ptolemy, the 259 km (161 mi) long river flows generally south from the Shannon Pot in County Cavan before turning west and empting into the Atlantic Ocean through the 113 km (70 mi) long Shannon Estuary. Limerick city stands watch at the point where the river water meets the sea water of the estuary. Only east of Limerick is the river no longer affected by the tides.

Geography

The river rises in the Cuilcagh Mountains in south County Fermanagh, and flows through 11 of Ireland's 32 Counties. Lakes on the Shannon include Lough Allen, Lough Ree and Lough Derg. Tributaries include the River Suck and the River Brosna.

History

The river began flowing along its present course after the end of the Ice Age. Vikings settled in the region in 10th century and used the river to raid the rich monasteries deep inland. In 937 the Limerick Vikings clashed with those of Dublin on Lough Ree and were defeated. Oliver Cromwell once said the Irish would go to "Hell or Connaught", referring to their choice of forced migration across the river, or death.

Economics

The Shannon is the longest river in the British Isles. Despite being more than 200 miles (300 km) long, it rises only 250 feet (76 m) above sea level, so the river is easily navigable, with only a few locks along its length. There is a hydroelectric generation plant at Ardnacrusha belonging to the ESB. Shipping in Shannon estuary was developed extensively during 1980's, with over £2 billion (€2.5Billion) investment. A tanker terminal at Foynes and an oil jetty at Shannon Airport were built. In 1982 a massive Alumina Extraction Plant was built at Aughinish. 60,000 tonne cargo vessels now carry raw bauxite from West African mines to the plant, where it is refined to Alumina. This is then exported to Canada where it is further refined to Aluminium. 1985 saw the opening of a huge coal-fired electricity plant at Moneypoint, fed by regular visits by 150,000 tonne tankers.

External links

- [http://www.iwai.ie/nav/shannon.html Information, maps etc. on The Shannon Navigation (from Inland Waterways Association of Ireland)]
- [http://www.iol.ie/wmeathtc/acl/shannon.htm River Shannon] Shannon Shannon

Lough Allen

Lough Allen (Loch Aillionn in Irish) is a lake situated on the River Shannon, in the north-central part of the Republic of Ireland, near Ireland's border region. Most of the lake is in County Leitrim, with a smaller portion in County Roscommon. The lake lies to the south of the river's source, near the Iron Mountains, and is the uppermost of the three main lakes on the river. The other two, Lough Ree and Lough Derg are both much further to the south. The lake is mainly on a north-south axis, with the head of lake at the north, and the end of the lake in the south. The R280 skirts the west side of the lake, while the R207 follows the east bank, from Ballinagleragh to Drumshanbo. The R200 is on the north side of the lake, travelling from Dowra to Durmkeeran. :See also: List of Irish lochs and loughs Allen

County Longford

County Longford (Irish: Contae an Longfoirt) is a county situated in the Irish Midlands, in northwest Leinster. With an area of 1,091 km² (421 square miles) and a population of 31,068, it is one of Ireland's smallest counties. Agricultural activities include cattle and sheep rearing, and the production of oats and potatoes. Most of Longford lies in the basin of the River Shannon, which forms its western boundary, much of it in the form of a large lake, Lough Ree. The northeastern part of the county, however, drains towards the River Erne, and much of Lough Gowna is within the county boundary. Lakeland, bogland, pastureland, and wetland typify Longford's generally low-lying landscapes: the highest point is Carn Clonhugh (also known as Cairn Hill) in the northwest of the county at 279 m (916 feet). Cairn Hill is the site of a television transmitter broadcasting to much of the Irish midlands. In general, the northern third of the county is hilly, forming part of the drumlin belt stretching across the northern midlands of Ireland. The southern parts of the county are low-lying, with extensive areas of raised bogland, and the land being of better quality for grazing and tillage. Monastic remains at Ardagh, Abbeylara, Abbeyderg, and Inchcleraun Island in Lough Ree are reminders of the county's long Christian history. The territory now comprising County Longford was traditionally known as Annaly (Anghaile in Irish) or Teffia (Teabhtha in Irish) and formed the territory of the Farrell clan. After the Norman invasion of the 12th century, Annaly was granted to Hugh de Lacy as part of the Liberty of Meath. An English settlement was established at Granard, with English Cistercian monasteries being established at Abbeylara and Abbeyderg. However, by the 14th century, English influence in Ireland was on the wane. The town of Granard was sacked by Edward Bruce's army in 1315, and the O'Farrells soon recovered complete control over their former territory. The county was officially shired in 1586 in the reign of Elizabeth I, but English control was not fully established until the aftermath of the Nine Years War. County Longford was added to Leinster by James I in 1608 (it had previously been considered part of Connacht), with the county being divided into six baronies and its boundaries being officially defined. The county was planted by English and Scottish landowners in 1620, with much of the O'Farrell lands being confiscated and granted to new owners. The change in control was completed during the Cromwellian plantations of the 1650s. The county was a centre of the 1798 rebellion, when the French expeditionary force led by Humbert which had landed at Killala were defeated outside the village of Ballinamuck on 8 September by an English army led by Cornwallis. Considerable reprisals were inflicted by the British on the civilian inhabitants of the county in the aftermath of the battle. A revolutionary spirit was again awoken in the county during the Irish War of Independence when the North Longford flying column, led by Seán Mac Eoin, became one of the most active units on the Irish side during that war. The county is named after its administrative centre, Longford town. Other sizeable towns and villages in County Longford include:
- Granard
- Ballymahon
- Edgeworthstown

External links

- [http://www.longford.ie/ County Longford Official Website]
- [http://ourworld.cs.com/TheFarrellClan/] Longford

Westmeath

County Westmeath.

Leinster

Leinster (; Irish: Laighin or Laigin, ) is the eastern province of Ireland, comprising the counties of Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. Leinster is Ireland's most populous province. The traditional flag of Leinster has a golden harp against a green background.

County Roscommon

County Roscommon (Contae Ros Comáin in Irish) is a county located in central Ireland. Area: 2547 km² (983 square miles). Roscommon is in the province of Connacht. Roscommon is also the name of the county town. Athlone on the River Shannon -- which lies partly in Roscommon and partly in County Westmeath (in the neighbouring province of Leinster) -- is considered to be Ireland's most central town. Tulsk is the nearest village to the mythological site of Rath Cruachán, home of Queen Medb (Maedbh, Maeve) and the Morrigan, which was the starting point for an epic tale in Irish Literature of the Táin Bó Cúailgne or Cattle Raid of Cooley, famously translated by Thomas Kinsella. Roscommon has much to interest those interested in Irish heritage or history.

Towns and Villages

- Arigna, Athlone, Athleague
- Ballaghaderreen, Ballintober, Ballyfarnon, Boyle
- Castlerea
- Elphin
- Frenchpark
- Knockcroghery
- Lecarrow
- Old Town
- Roosky, Roscommon
- Strokestown
- Tulsk

External links

- [http://www.roscommoncoco.ie/ Official site - County Council]
- [http://www.countyroscommon.com/ Tourism Information]
- [http://www.cruachanai.com/ Tulsk Visitor Centre]
- [http://www.shamrockcottages.co.uk/maps/roscommon.jpg Map of Roscommon] Roscommon

Athlone

[http://www.example.com link title] Athlone (Baile Átha Luain in Irish, meaning "town of the ford of Luan") lies on the River Shannon near the southern extremity of Lough Ree, some 130 km west of Dublin. The west side of Athlone forms part of County Roscommon while the larger east side lies in County Westmeath, but administratively, almost all of the town has been included in Westmeath since 1898, and planning applications are dealt with be the respective county councils. The town's population in 2004 was 15,936, slightly more than that of Mullingar. Athlone sits close to the geographical centre of Ireland. Nearby are Moate on the road to Dublin, Ballinasloe on the road to Galway, and Tang on the road to Ballymahon, County Longford.

History

At the heart of Athlone, both geographically and historically, is the castle. The military history of the town dates back to antiquity. Its location at a ford of the Shannon, together with its important position in respect of access to the fertile plains of the midlands, made it of extreme strategic importance and therefore the scene of tribal disputes. In 1001 Brian Bóruma led his army from Kincora into the town, his fleet sailing up the river via Lough Derg to attend the gathering. A bridge was built across the river in the 12th century, and to protect this a fort was constructed on the west bank in the town by Turloch Mor O Conor. On a number of occasions both the fort and bridge were subjected to attacks, and towards the end of the 12th century the Anglo-Normans constructed a motte-and-bailey fortification here. The ruins visible today are those of the castle built in 1210 by Justiciar John Gray. The idea, mooted during the Elizabethan wars, of relocating the Lord Deputy of Ireland here from Dublin further illustrates the strategic importance of the town. During the wars that wracked Ireland in the seventeenth century, Athlone held a vital position, holding the main bridge over the River Shannon into Connacht. In the Irish Confederate Wars 1641-1653, the town was held by Irish Confederate troops until it was taken late in 1650 by Charles Cooote, who attacked the town from the west, having crossed into Connacht at Sligo. Forty years later, during the Williamite war in Ireland, the town was again of central strategic importance, being one of the Jacobite strongholds on the defending their position after they had retreated west after the battle of the Boyne. At the first battle of Athlone in 1690 the Jacobite forces of Colonel Richard Grace repelled an attack by 10,000 men lead by Commander Douglas. The following year the Siege of Athlone saw a further assault in which the troops of King William III eventually prevailed against the outnumbered defenders. To the west of the town are the remains of defences built in the 19th century to help thwart a French attack. Today, not far from the 12th-century castle ruins, Custume Barracks occupies a large area of the west bank of the Shannon. The noted tenor John McCormack was born in here in 1884 at the Bawn. On the east side of town, off North Gate Street, is an intact example of a Famine-era workhouse. The building, renamed St Mary's Hall, now hosts several youth groups and includes a large meeting room. Within sight of the workhouse building is a historic abbey. Clonmacnoise, a famous monastic site with a round tower and spectacular Celtic crosses, lies on the east bank of the Shannon some 14 km south of the town (24 km by road).

Education and industry

The State Examinations Commission and the Athlone Institute of Technology are both located on the east side of town. The State Examinations Commission is responsible for the preparation and marking of the Junior Certificate and the Leaving Certificate examinations. The Athlone Institute of Technology is a third-level institution which currently provides National Certificates, National Diplomas and degree level studies. A new library opened with modern and state-of-the-art facilities and services in October 2004. The town's tourist office is located near the castle on the west side of town. Athlone's major employers include many global companies, such as Ericsson, as well as successful local firms, including Elán. The town is notable for having a number of plastics (in particular polymer) based industries. These tie into the sort of courses offered at the institute of technology which offers the only polymer studies courses in the Republic of Ireland.

Amenities

The Golden Island shopping centre, and the currently being built Athlone Town Centre Development have made a big improvement to the range of activities available to residents, and bring in many out of towners for the wide range of shopping and dining. The local marina is a favoured stop for tourists on the River Shannon. The pike fishing is excellent along this stretch of the river. Visitors can also enjoy vistas of the Castle and of St Peter and Paul's church on the west bank of the Shannon.pike Lough Ree, the largest lake on the Shannon is a short distance upstream from Athlone to the North of town. The lake is popular among anglers, bird watchers, and swimmers. A number of islands dot the lake making for some interesting exploration. The lake shore is easily accessed from Coosan Point, and Hodson Bay[http://www.hodsonbayhotel.com/].

Athlone Town Centre Development

In June 2005, An Bord Pleanála (The Irish Planning Appeals Board) gave the go ahead for a one million square foot shopping centre in Athlone. This decision was also carefully watched by national and international retailers who have their sights closely set on the high disposable income of some 40,000 people living in this area. Research carried out on behalf of these retailers shows that there are six people for every square metre of shopping space in the midlands compared to only three people for every square metre of shopping space in Dublin. This research also shows that the potential spend of the 40,000 living within forty miles of the Bridge of Athlone on items other than groceries is more than €800 million. A local councillor said that a development of this nature will "put meat on the bones of the Governments National Spatial Strategy", creating a major city by linking the towns of Athlone, Mullingar and Tullamore, and that the development will result in a renewal of the traditional shopping streets in Athlone and when put side by side with the very successful Golden Island Shopping Centre and the new development at the old Athlone Shopping Centre it will give the consumer a choice equal to any city in Europe. It is intended that the 8 acre town centre site will provide a Grafton Street type shopping experience in the midlands with 4 major department stores and 50 shops linked by covered streets and a naturally ventilated covered plaza and will be the largest town centre development outside of Dublin. The mixed-use development will centre around internal covered streets on two levels and a large naturally ventilated central plaza. The developers have masterminded an exceptionally designed purpose built shopping facility cleverly integrated with a high quality living quarter that caters for almost every need of the modern urban lifestyle and reflects the towns rapidly increasing size and prosperity. The schemes car park is accessed directly within 800 metres of the motorway and the architects design allows people to arrive directly into the heart of Athlone Town. Current plans have the new development opening in 2007.

Property in Athlone

Athlone, along with most other midland towns, has seen wild property price appreciation up to 2004. Currently (2005) there is stagnation, price-cutting and some desperation on the part of sellers. Unfortunately, most staff at the Department of Education, Dublin aren't interested in decentralising to Athlone. Both of the other two big employers in Athlone are also moving work to India. In each case, Bangalore is the destination, with Wipro and Strand Life Sciences being the winners. Luckily, for prices in Athlone, two big developments were turned down recently by An Bord Pleanala. Both the next phase of Cloughanboy (400 units) and a development at Garrycastle (100 units) were rejected on appeal. Both Moate on the Dublin road and Knockcroghery on the Roscommon road are bursting with new developments and providing stiff competetion for anyone trying to offload a second-hand or even new house in Athlone. A common sight around Athlone is a for sale sign in the front garden, with 2 more felled versions from earlier estate agents lying down or thrown behind a hedge. This is because houses aren't selling, and sellers are switching agents.

Buy to Let

Athlone has benefitted greatly from the Army Deafness settlements made with the state. While motor dealers have undoubtedly done very well from this, the property industry has arguably done even better. At a time when major employers were making redundancies, the deafness money came flooding in to stabilise and boost what would otherwise have been a very difficult market. The timing of the lump-sum settlements coincided with the increased interest in buy-to-let on the parts of both the mortgage banks and building societies and investors in Athlone. As a result, a greater proportion of new housing estates in the Athlone area than ever before has been bought by investors. However, demand has not kept up with supply and three recently built estates in particular are currently (2005) struggling to fill the vacant rooms and houses. The Glen in Coosan has many empty houses and a perennial forest of for-sale signs, while the vast River Village on the Connaught side still has many unsold let alone unoccupied units. Woodville Grange on the Leinster outskirts has fewer buy-to-let units than the Glen, but owner-occupiers have been cashing in on the booming market and moving out to build one-offs in the countryside.

External links

- [http://www.athlone.ie Athlone.ie] - Information for both tourists and locals.
- [http://www.ait.ie AIT.ie] - Athlone Institute of Technology.
- [http://www.athlonechamber.ie/] - Athlone Chamber of Commerce. Category:Towns and villages in Roscommon Category:Towns in Westmeath

Medb

note.]] Medb (, Medhbh, Meabh, Maeve, Maev; usually pronounced in English) is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her father was Eochaid Feidlech, the High King of Ireland. Her best-known husband was Ailill mac Máta, athough she had several husbands before him, all of whom were kings of Connacht while they were married to her. Her palace stood at Cruachan (now Rathcroghan, County Roscommon). She was probably originally a sovereignty goddess, whom a king would ritually marry as part of his inauguration. A separate character, Medb Lethderg, performs a similar function in Tara. Her name is said to mean 'she who intoxicates', and is cognate with the English word 'mead'; it is likely that the sacred marriage ceremony between the king and the goddess would involve a shared drink. The name "Connacht" in the Ulster Cycle appears to be an anachronism. Connacht took its name from the Connachta, the descendants of Conn Cétchathach, who is supposed to have lived several centuries later than the events of the Ulster Cycle. Cóiced Ol nEchmacht is sometimes given as an earlier name of the province. Medb's first husband was Conchobar mac Nessa of Ulster, but that marriage didn't last. She then murdered Conchobar's next wife, her own sister Eithne, while she was pregnant. Eithne's son, Furbaide, was born by posthumous caesarian section. Her father installed her as queen of Connacht, driving out the then king, Tinni mac Conri; however, Tinni regained a share of the throne when he and Medb later became lovers. Conchobar later raped Medb after an assembly at Tara. War ensued between the High King and Ulster. Tinni challenged Conchobar to single combat, and lost. Eochaid Dála of the Fir Domnann, who had been Tinni's rival for the kingship, protected the Connacht army as it retreated, and became Medb's next husband and king of Connacht. Medb demanded her husband satisfy her three criteria - that he be without fear, meanness or jealousy. The latter was particularly important as she had many lovers. While married to Eochaid Dála, she took Ailill mac Máta, chief of her bodyguard, as her lover. Eochaid discovered the affair, challenged Ailill to single combat, and lost. Ailill then married Medb and became king of Connacht. Medb and Ailill had a daughter, Findabair, and seven sons, all called Maine. They originally all had other names, but when Medb asked a druid which of her sons would kill Conchobar, he replied, "Maine". She didn't have a son called Maine, so she renamed all her sons as follows:
- Fedlimid became Maine Athramail ("like his father")
- Cairbre became Maine Máthramail ("like his mother")
- Eochaid became Maine Andoe ("the swift")
- Fergus became Maine Taí ("the silent")
- Cet became Maine Mórgor ("of great duty")
- Sin became Maine Mílscothach ("honey-speech")
- Dáire became Maine Móepirt ("beyond description") Maine Andoe went on to kill Conchobar son of Arthur, son of the king of Britain, and the prophesy was fulfilled. Medb also insisted that she be equal in wealth with her husband, and started the Táin Bó Cúailnge (Cattle Raid of Cooley) when she discovered that Ailill was one powerful stud bull richer than her. Fighting on her side in that campaign against the Ulster hero Cu Chulain, was Fergus mac Róich, exiled former king of Ulster and one of Medb's lovers. It is reported that it took seven men to satisfy her, or Fergus once. She had Conall Cernach kill Ailill after he had contrived Fergus's death. In her later years she often went to bathe in a pool on an island. Furbaide took a rope and measured the distance between the pool and the shore, and practiced with his sling until he could hit an apple on top of a stake Medb's height from that distance. The next time he saw Medb bathing he put his practice to good use and killed her with a piece of cheese in revenge for his mother. She was succeeded to the throne of Connacht by her son Maine Athramail. The LÉ Maev (02), a ship in the Irish Naval Service (now decommissioned), was named after her.

Sources

- "Foras Feasa Eirann", Geoffrey Keating, 1636.
- "Leabhar Mor nGenealach", Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh, 1649-1666.
- "Ogyia", Ruaidhri O Flaithbheartaigh, 1684.
- "The History of Mayo", T.H.Knox, 1908.

Texts

- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/boyne.html Medb's Men, or the Battle of the Boyne]
- [http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~dc920/bricriu.html Bricriu's Feast]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/oengus.html The Dream of Óengus]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/fraech.html The Cattle Raid of Fráech]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/regamon.html The Cattle Raid of Regamon]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/dartaid.html The Raid for Dartaid's Cattle]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/flidais.html The Driving of Flidais's Cattle]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/nera.html The Adventures of Nera]
- [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T301012/index.html The Cattle Raid of Cooley, recension 1]
- [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T301035/index.html The Cattle Raid of Cooley, recension 2]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/fergus.html The Death of Fergus mac Róich]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/cuchulain3.html The Death of Cú Chulainn]
- [http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/medb.html The Violent Death of Medb] Category:Fertility goddesses Category:Fictional queens Category:Irish goddesses Category:Ulster cycle Category:History of Ireland Category:Kings of Connacht Category:Ancient Ireland Category:Ancient history

List of Irish lochs and loughs

This is a list of Irish loughs. "Lough" is used in Ireland as the anglicised form of the Irish-language word Loch, which is the same as "loch", as used in Scotland. There are many minor bodies of water in Ireland, the majority of which are named loughs. The list below contains only those loughs which are of geographic, geological or historical importance.

Freshwater loughs

- Lough Allen, County Leitrim
- Lough Conn, County Mayo
- Lough Corrib, County Galway (below Lough Mask) – second largest in Ireland, largest in the Republic.
- Lough Derg, two lakes: one on the River Shannon – the third-largest in Ireland, second in the Republic; and a smaller one in County Donegal.
- Lough Erne, two lakes: Upper Lough Erne and Lower Lough Erne
- Lough Gur
- Lough Mask, County Mayo (above Lough Corrib)
- Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland – the largest lake in Ireland
- Lough Oughter, County Cavan
- Lough Owel, County Westmeath
- Lough Ramor County Cavan, beside town of Virginia
- Lough Ree, in the Midlands of Ireland.
- Lough Rynn, County Leitrim

Brackish loughs

- Lady's Island Lake
- Tacumshin Lake

Sea loughs

- Belfast Lough
- Carlingford Lough
- Lough Foyle
- Larne Lough
- Lough Swilly
- Strangford Lough
- Galway Bay
- Roaringwater Bay

Category:Irish loughs

This is a list of Irish lochs and loughs. Loughs, Irish Northern Ireland

Intercellular fluid

In biology, tissue fluid is a solution which bathes and surrounds the cells of multicellular animals and is also called the intercellular fluid.

Composition of tissue fluid

The composition of tissue fluid depends upon the exchanges between the cells in the tissue and the blood. This means that tissue fluid has a different composition in different tissues and in different areas of the body. Not all of the contents of the blood passes into the tissue, which means that tissue fluid and blood are not the same. Red blood cells, platelets and plasma proteins cannot pass through the walls of the capillaries. The resulting mixture that does pass through is essentially blood plasma without the plasma proteins. Tissue fluid also contains some types of white blood cell, which help combat infection. Sugars, mineral ions and waste

Formation of tissue fluid

In the capillaries, there are two forces acting on the movement of water and other aqueous substances; hydrostatic pressure and water potential. The hydrostatic pressure is generated by the pumping force of the heart. It pushes water out of the capillaries. The water potential is created due to the inability of large solutes to pass through the capillary walls. This buildup of solutes induces osmosis. The water passes from a high concentration (of water) to a low concentration in an attempt to reach an equilibrium. This draws water back into the vessels. Because the blood in the capillaries is constantly flowing, equilibrium is never reached. The balance between the two forces is different at different points in the capillaries. At the atrial end of the vessel, the hydrostatic pressure is greater than the water potential, so the net movement (see net flux) favors water and other solutes being passed into the tissue fluid. At the venous end, the water potential is greater, so the net movement favours substances being passed back into the capillary. This difference is created by the direction of the flow of blood, and the imbalance in solutes created by the net movement of water favoring the tissue fluid.

Removal of tissue fluid

To prevent a buildup of tissue fluid surrounding the cells in the tissue, the lymphatic system plays a part in the transport of tissue fluid. Tissue fluid can pass into the surrounding lymph vessels, and eventually ends up rejoining the blood. Sometimes the removal of tissue fluid does not function correctly, and there is a buildup. This causes swelling, and can often be seen around the feet and ankles. The position of swelling is due to the effects of gravity. Category:Biology

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