Historic lough to be cleaned up

LOCAL volunteers will on Tuesday (August 13) clean up a historic lough that has supported human habitation in the Londonderry area for 5000 years.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Aug 2013, 13:27 BST
Members of the conservation volunteers, and the Enagh Youth Forum at a previous clean-up in Strathfoyle. Join in another clean up this Tuesday (August 13).Members of the conservation volunteers, and the Enagh Youth Forum at a previous clean-up in Strathfoyle. Join in another clean up this Tuesday (August 13).
Members of the conservation volunteers, and the Enagh Youth Forum at a previous clean-up in Strathfoyle. Join in another clean up this Tuesday (August 13).

The clean up of Enagh Lough is part of a Loughs Agency’s Adopt-a-Stream initiative where groups are encouraged to look after waterways close to them.

Volunteers will meet at Judges Road at 11am on August 13.

David Bradley of the Enagh Youth Forum’s Young Roots Heritage Project said: “We are asking anyone who can volunteer a few hours of their time on the Tuesday to come along and ‘do one thing’ to help protect and enhance their local environment.”

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Annie Mullan, Community Engagement Officer with Faughan Valley Landscape Partnership said: “This day sees a community group taking advantage of a great initiatives ‘Adopt-a-Stream’, I would encourage other community groups in the Faughan Valley area who wish to improve their area to get in touch as there are many ways we can assist environmental improvements.”

The Lough is the location of a number of important historical sites. Green Island or Templetown Island is the site of an early Christian crannog and tower house and also the Castle of Anagh or O’Kane’s castle.

It was occupied until 1600 when it was besieged and captured by Henry Docwra.

Nearby, Rough Island or ‘O’Cahan’s Garden’ features a crannog and evidence of stone and bronze age settlement.

The area is also the site of a ruined medieval church and graveyard.