Lough MacNean

{{Short description|Freshwater lake in Ireland}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}

{{EngvarB|date=March 2020}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Lough MacNean

| native_name ={{native name|ga|Loch Mac nÉan}}

| pushpin_map = Island of Ireland

| pushpin_label_position = none

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ireland

| image = Inishee Island, Lough Macnean Lower - geograph.org.uk - 984290.jpg

| caption = Inishee on Lower Lough MacNean

| image_bathymetry = {{Css Image Crop

| Image = Baronies of Leitrim.jpg

| bSize = 900

| cWidth = 230

| cHeight = 165

| oTop = 290

| oLeft = 470

| Location = center

| Description =

}}

| caption_bathymetry = Map showing Upper (left) and Lower (right) Lough MacNean (1900).

| location = County Fermanagh; County Cavan; County Leitrim

| coords = {{coord|54|17|20|N|7|50|0|W|type:waterbody_region:GB|display=inline,title}}

| type = Freshwater

| inflow =

| outflow = Arney River

| catchment =

| basin_countries = Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland

| length =

| width =

| area =

| depth =

| max-depth =

| volume =

| residence_time =

| shore =

| elevation =

| frozen =

| islands =

| cities = Belcoo, Blacklion, Glenfarne

}}

File:Lough Macnean Upper - geograph.org.uk - 1089807.jpg

File:Lower Lough MacNean.JPG

Lough MacNean ({{Irish derived place name|Loch Mac nÉan|Mac nÉan's lake}})[http://www.logainm.ie/1166387.aspx Placenames Database of Ireland] is a large freshwater lake on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

It is in two parts. Lower Lough MacNean (or Lough Nilly),The English Cyclopedia 1867 Page 498 " ... and is connected by a short stream about half a mile in length with Lough Nitty (sometimes called Lower Lough Macnean), .." the smaller eastern lake, is mainly in County Fermanagh, with a smaller part in County Cavan. Upper Lough MacNean, the larger western lake, is split between counties Fermanagh, Cavan and Leitrim. On the strip of land between the two lakes are the villages of Belcoo, County Fermanagh and Blacklion, County Cavan. A river, named the Belcoo River, runs between the villages, linking the eastern and western lakes.[http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer Ordnance Survey Ireland: Map Viewer] The river is approximately one mile long, and throughout its length forms the international border.

The shape of Lough MacNean changed during the 1960s when a major draining operation took place; before this, the lake was used for eel fishing, but dredging during the drainage process decimated their numbers.