Origins of the name
You could be forgiven for thinking that Lough an Lea refers to a lake but it is in fact the name of a mountain in Cavan. There was a lake at the foot of the mountain but it has long since disappeared.
View of windmills from Lough an Lea
A number of windmills can be seen in this photograph of Lough an Lea. Windmills can be seen in a number of areas in Ireland. They provide a renewable source of energy.
View of windmills from Lough an Lea
View of windmills from Lough an Lea
A number of windmills can be seen in this photograph of Lough an Lea. Windmills can be seen in a number of areas in Ireland. They provide a renewable source of energy.
The name "Lough an Lea" comes from Irish and means "Loch an Leigheas". "Leigheas" is the Irish world for "cure" and it was thought in the past that the lake had magical healing powers.
View of Meath from Lough an Lea
A view of the flat pastureland of County Meath from the summit of Lough an Lea.
View of Meath from Lough an Lea
View of Meath from Lough an Lea
A view of the flat pastureland of County Meath from the summit of Lough an Lea.
Folklore has it that an old woman in the area had a magical cure that was capable of bringing dead soldiers back to life. Her enemies were very jealous of her powers and captured her in an attempt to learn the secret of her cure. She refused to reveal her secrets and in order to keep the magical potion away from her captors she threw it into the lake. The silt at the bottom of the lake absorbed the magic solution. For many years it was used locally to treat skin diseases.