Area · Co. Mayo
“The lake of the hound” — Ireland’s seventh-largest lake, about 48 square kilometres, connected to the Atlantic by the River Moy, with the trout and salmon fishing and the ruins of Errew Abbey on its shore.
Lough Conn (Loch Con in Irish, meaning “lake of the hound”) is a lake in County Mayo, Ireland. With an area of about 48 square kilometres (19 sq mi), it is Ireland’s seventh largest lake. With its immediate neighbour to the south, Lough Cullin, it is connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the River Moy, and the lough is noted for its trout and salmon fishing. The ruins of a priory exist at Errew Abbey, on the lough’s shore.
In Gaelic mythology, various accounts are given of the origin of the name. In one account, Lough Conn was created when Fionn mac Cumhaill was hunting with his hounds — Conn and Cullin. They came across a wild boar, and as the boar ran, water followed it and the lough was made. The tale is the lough’s name: the hound, the boar and the water, and the name Conn (the hound) is the lake’s Irish, with Cullin the neighbour to the south.
Lough Conn lies between the Nephin Mountains to the north and the Ox Mountains to the south, with Lough Cullin its immediate neighbour to the south and the River Moy the connection to the Atlantic. The lough is the water country of the Moy valley: the fishing, the abbey and the shore, and the walk along the shore is the walk that takes in the water and the mountains on either side. The lough works as the base for the Glen Nephin country to the north and the Foxford country to the south.
Lough Conn is in the Moy valley, between the Nephin and Ox Mountains; the fishing is the thing to check before the trip, and the shore walk is the walk to do first. The lough is open water — check the conditions before the boat, and the shore is rough underfoot in wet weather.
Where to stay
Ballina or Foxford put the water, the fishing and the mountains all within a drive — the shore is the point.
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