Lough Ennell

{{Short description|Lake in County Westmeath, Ireland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Use Irish English|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox lake

| name = Lough Ennell

| native_name = {{native name|ga|Loch Ainninn}}

| image = IMG LoughEnnell0861.jpg

| caption = Looking northwest

| image_bathymetry = Castletown_Geoghegan_detail_map_01.JPG

| caption_bathymetry =

| pushpin_map = Island of Ireland

| pushpin_label_position = none

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ireland

| location = Westmeath

| coords = {{coord|53|27|N|7|25|W|type:waterbody_region:IE|display=inline,title}}

| lake_type = glacial lake

| inflow = River Brosna

| outflow = River Brosna

| catchment = {{convert|117.62|km2|abbr=on}}

| basin_countries = Ireland

| length = {{convert|6.5|km|abbr=on}}

| width = {{convert|2|km|abbr=on}}

| area = {{convert|11.56|km2|abbr=on}}

| depth =

| max-depth = {{convert|30|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| volume =

| residence_time =

| shore =

| elevation = {{convert|81|m|ft|abbr=on}}

| frozen =

| islands =

| cities =

| reference =

| embedded = {{Designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_date = 7 June 1996

| designation1_number = 848{{Cite web|title=Lough Ennell|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/848|accessdate=25 April 2018}}}}

}}

Lough Ennell ({{Irish place name|Loch Ainninn}}){{cite web | url = https://www.logainm.ie/en/1166322 | title = Loch Ainninn/Lough Ennell | website = Placenames Database of Ireland (logainm.ie) | access-date = 15 October 2022}} is a lake near the town of Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. It is situated beside the N52 road, off the Mullingar/Kilbeggan road.{{cite web | title=Lough Ennell | work=Discover Ireland | url=http://www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/listings/gss/product/?fid=FI_9871 | accessdate=8 March 2009 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510234846/http://www.discoverireland.com/gb/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/listings/gss/product/?fid=FI_9871 | archivedate=10 May 2009 }} The lake is part of the Lough Ennell Special Protection Area.{{cite web | url = https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/spa/004044 | title = Lough Ennell SPA | publisher = National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland) | accessdate = 28 March 2020}} It is {{convert|6.5|km|abbr=on}} long by {{convert|2|km|abbr=on}} wide, with an area of about {{convert|12|km2|abbr=on}}.{{cite report | last1 = Free | first1 = Gary | last2 = Little | first2 = Ruth | last3 = Tierney | first3 = Deirdre | last4 = Donnelly | first4 = Karol | last5 = Caroni | first5 = Rossana | name-list-style = amp | url = https://www.epa.ie/publications/research/water/Final-Report-(2000-FS1-M1).pdf#page=17 | title = A Reference Based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes | date = 2006 | pages = 11 | publisher = Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) | access-date = 15 October 2022}} Lough Ennell has a large area of shallow water with nearly two-thirds of its area being less than 25 feet (8 m) and almost half of it being under {{convert|10|ft|m|abbr=on}} deep. The lake produced Ireland's largest ever lake brown trout at 26 lbs (11.8 kg).{{cite web | title=Fishery: Lough Ennell | work=Shannon Regional Fisheries Board | url=http://www.shannon-fishery-board.ie/guides/game/lough-ennell.htm | accessdate=8 March 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223230302/http://shannon-fishery-board.ie/guides/game/lough-ennell.htm | archive-date=23 February 2009 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=Lough Ennell - The Name |work=Ask About Ireland |url=http://www.askaboutireland.ie/show_narrative_page.do?page_id=3802 |accessdate=8 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123155009/http://askaboutireland.ie/show_narrative_page.do?page_id=3802 |archivedate=23 November 2007 }}

The main river flowing into Lough Ennell is the River Brosna, which enters on the Mullingar side of the lake and exits on the opposite side at Lilliput. Lilliput and Lilliput House were frequently used by Jonathan Swift as a holiday home and place to write, local tradition states that Jonathan Swift was in a boat on the lake when he looked back at Lilliput and noticed how small the people looked at that distance, hence the inspiration for his most famous book Gulliver's Travels.{{cn|date=June 2020}} Lilliput at the time was called "Nure" however after the publication of Gulliver's Travels locals began to refer to the lakeshore as Lilliput, the name stuck and today the area is known as Lilliput.