Green Limerick: New book explores history and evolution of Irish lakes

A FREE publication focusing on Ireland’s lakes, uncovering their history, geography and the growing threats they face, has been co-written by a Limerick-based lecturer.

Lakes in Ireland: Mirrors of Change, a publication co-authored by a Mary Immaculate College (MIC) associate professor of environmental geography, Dr Catherine Dalton, is now freely available for public consumption.

The digital book brings together leading experts to present an in-depth exploration of lakes around the country, including lakes located in Limerick, such as Lough Gur.

A number of other places in the county are mentioned in the 22-chapter e-book too, including an ancient palaeolake in Newcastle West, the ancient Lough Nagirra at Tory Hill, a former lake at Ballyvoghan, and a now-extinct lake at Glenameade, Pallaskenry called Blind Lough.

As well as this, other mentions include a curving basin in Curraghchase which dams a stream that feeds into the Clonshire/Grenagh river, Bleach Lough at Dromore, Pallaskenry, Foleys Turlough near Foynes, and the River Shannon.

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The island of Ireland is home to an extraordinary number of lakes, which serve as both important ecosystems and significant cultural landmarks, and this new open access book delves into the origins, biodiversity, and environmental challenges facing these bodies of water.

Prior to the book launch which took place in Trinity College Dublin, Dr Dalton said that she and her fellow authors were excited for the release of the publication, which has 52 contributors.

This includes Paul O’Brien, historian and lecturer at MIC, as well as special acknowledgement to Derek Mulcahy (MIC) and John Logan (UL).

Dr Dalton said the book is great because it is “peer-reviewed, independently published and globally accessible”.

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 e-book, 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.

The book addresses broader environmental concerns, including climate change, invasive species, and hydrological alterations.

Lakes in Ireland are warming and the implications for biodiversity are reportedly severe.

The experts state that without a concerted effort to mitigate these pressures, the health of lake ecosystems will continue to deteriorate.

The authors, including Dr Dalton, concluded: “Our hope is that this open access will foster accessibility and encourage environmental education and advocacy.

“By equipping communities and policymakers alike with knowledge, we hope to inspire action that will safeguard Ireland’s lakes for future generations.”

This digital book has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of leading researchers, environmentalists, and government agencies.

It is freely available on the Marine Institute’s Open Access Repository website.