Nahinch bog and Lough
Work is ongoing to further develop our understanding of the value of Nahinch, in addition to the summer butterfly survey, divers have recently completed a preliminary survey of the lough.
The survey has confirmed Lough Nahinch is:
-
A rare type of high alkalinity lake, called a marl lake. Lough Nahinch is an excellent example of the type. Possibly the best example in north Munster-excluding Clare.
-
The lake appears to be unaffected by pollution making it of real conservation value.
-
It contains a number of specialised large algae called charophytes or stoneworts including at least one species Chara tomentosa which is very infrequent in Ireland and unknown in Britain. Chara tomentosa used to occur on the Tipperary shore of Lough Derg but has not been recorded recently due to pollution. The Lough Nahinch population is great news, the only population in Munster outside County Clare.