Lough Derg - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

St Patrick's Purgatory is an ancient pilgrimage site on Station Island in Lough Derg, County Donegal, Ireland. According to legend, the site dates from the fifth century, when Christ showed Saint Patrick a cave, sometimes referred to as a pit or a well, on Station Island that was an entrance to Purgatory. Its importance in medieval times is clear from the fact that it is mentioned in texts from as early as 1185 and shown on maps from all over Europe as early as the fifteenth century.

Boa Island is an island near the north shore of Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is the largest island in Lough Erne, approximately 8 km long, and relatively narrow. It features a counterscarp rath as well as carved stones, graveyard and enclosure, all in Dreenan townland and all Scheduled Historic Monuments. The oldest stone monument on the island is a denuded cairn at Inishkeeragh Bridge near the southern tip of the island.

Drumskinny is the site of a stone circle in the townland of Drumskinny, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. This stone circle is part of a complex of five in this immediate locality, dating back to the new stone age, 2250 B.C. The purpose of the circle, made up of 39 stones and a small round cairn, is unknown but probably involved that of religious practices, astronomical observations and calendar functions.

Lusty Beg Island is a unique and utterly charming destination offering the perfect location to relax and unwind. Set amongst beautiful lake-side woodlands, there is a selection of accommodation including self-catering houses and ensuite hotel style bedrooms, restaurant, retreat spa, activity centre, nature trail and fairy trails.

Lustymore Island is an island located in Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Nearby is Boa Island whose Caldragh cemetery has a carved Janus type figure. A second figure was brought to Caldragh in 1939 from Lustymore Island. In the early 20th century, Lady Hunt from Alberta, Canada owned both Lustymore and Lustybeg islands. When her residence, Glenvar House, accidentally burned down, she moved to Germany.

Barnesmore Gap is that big opening between Croaghconnelagh and Croaghonagh mountains . Here in this very fine mountain pass the traveller is absolutely shut in between these two great hills as he wends his way along a really excellent road that traverses the gap. It is an area of complex geology, but its main feature is granite formed in the Devonian period, 400million ears ago. The gap held glaciers in the Last Glacial Period flowing to the Atlantic through what is now Donegal Bay.