Ireland’s extraordinary number of lakes and their role as vital ecosystems and significant cultural landmarks are profiled in a new open access digital book.
Lakes in Ireland – Mirrors of Change “delves into the origins, biodiversity, and environmental challenges facing these bodies of water”, the authors state.
Some 52 contributors wrote the 22 chapters, which focus on the history, geography, science and the growing threats the lakes face.
Lough Alewnaghta on the border between counties Galway and Clare
Dr Catherine Dalton, Department of Geography at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, launched the free digital book with colleagues at the Museum Building in Trinity College Dublin.
Dr Elvira de Eyto of the Marine Institute noted that “the book contains contributions from a diverse set of authors, including many of the people who are actively carrying out aquatic research and monitoring in Ireland”.
Prof Eleanor Jennings of Dundalk Institute of Technology said that “generous sponsorship from various state agencies has made this this open access project possible and ensured that cutting-age science on Ireland's lakes is now freely available to all”.
This comprehensive volume covers the geological forces that shaped Ireland's lakes, including the movement of glaciers and the island’s temperate, Atlantic-influenced climate.
As outlined in the book's chapters, these lakes have supported human settlement and cultural development for millennia. They continue to play a central role in recreation, amenity, and community activism today.
However, the authors caution that not all is well. While Ireland has been spared the severe droughts and floods afflicting lakes elsewhere in Europe, issues like nutrient over-enrichment, or eutrophication, pose significant threats.
Algal blooms, such as the 2023 crisis on Lough Neagh, highlight the dangers of pollution and the urgent need for action. This situation is explored in detail in chapters on the health of lake ecosystems and the specific challenges facing rare lake types such as turloughs and coastal lagoons.
Mares Tail at Inchiquin Lough on County Clare
The book also addresses broader environmental concerns, including climate change, invasive species, and hydrological alterations. Lakes in Ireland are warming due to human-induced climate change, and the implications for biodiversity are severe. The experts state that without a concerted effort to mitigate these pressures, the health of lake ecosystems will continue to deteriorate.
It also emphasises the need for an all-island coordinated, multi-agency approach to lake management. The authors advocate for better regulation, inter-departmental collaboration, and more robust community involvement in the stewardship of these vital water bodies. It also highlights the pressing need for research to address knowledge gaps and inform future policies that protect Irish lakes.
Three academics from Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Dr Heather Lally, senior lecturer in freshwater biology and ecology, Dr Emma Gray, assistant lecturer in freshwater ecology, and Professor Frances Lucy, Director of CERIS, the Centre for Environmental Research Innovation and Sustainability at ATU, contributed.
The book is freely available on the Marine Institute’s Open Access Repository here. A limited number of print copies are available also.
Dr Heather Lally, Senior Lecturer in Freshwater Biology and Ecology, co-writer of Chapter 5 of “Lakes of Ireland – Mirrors of Change”
Dr Emma Gray, Assistant Lecturer in Freshwater Ecology, co-writer of Chapter 5 of “Lakes of Ireland – Mirrors of Change”.
Professor Frances Lucy, Director of CERIS, the Centre for Environmental Research Innovation and Sustainability at ATU, writer of Chapter 13 of “Lakes of Ireland – Mirrors of Change”.
