Lough Derg, County Donegal
| Lough Derg | |
|---|---|
| Loch Dearg (Irish) | |
Station Island | |
| Location | County Donegal, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 54°36′50″N 7°52′20″W / 54.61389°N 7.87222°W |
| Catchment area | 35.14 km2 (13.6 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland |
| Surface area | 8.81 km2 (3.40 sq mi) |
| Surface elevation | 140 m (460 ft) |
| Islands | Station Island |
| References | |
Lough Derg or Loch Derg (Irish: Loch Dearg) is a lake in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. It is near the border with Northern Ireland and lies about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north of the border village of Pettigo. It is best known for St Patrick's Purgatory, a site of pilgrimage on Station Island in the lake. St. Patrick is said to have established the first Christian settlement here on Saint's Island. The pilgrimage was moved to Station Island in 1497.
The lake is about 8.9 square kilometres (3.4 square miles) in size, but is quite shallow, making it dangerous during bad weather. It has stocks of pike, perch and brown trout for angling.