LOUGH

NEAGH  , the largest lake (Irish, " lough ") in the British Isles, situated in the north-east of Ireland, in the province of Ulster, its waters being divided between counties Antrim (N. and E.), Down (S.E.), Armagh (S.), Tyrone and Londonderry (W.) . Its shape is an irregular oblong, its extreme measurements being 18 m. from N.E. to S.W . 16 from N. to S., and 11 from E. to W . Its circumference, without including minor indentations, is about 64 m., and its area 98,2J5 acres or about 153 sq. m . The shores are generally flat and marshy, or very gently sloping, but flat-topped hills rise near the northern shore, where the lake reaches its extreme depth of 102 ft . The mean height above sea-level is 48 ft . Though the lough receives a large number of 1 The prohibition to Samson's mother to abstain from wine does not appear to belong to the original narrative (see E . Kautzsch, Hastings's D.B. v . 657 col. b, following Bohme) . John the Baptist is a later example of lifelong consecration (Luke i . 15) ; cf. also the tradition as to James the Just (Euseb . H.E. ii .

23) . 2 On consecration of the

hair, see Spencer, De Legibus Hebr. iii . 1 . 6; I . Goldziher, Rev . Hist . Rel. xiv . 49 sqq . (1886) ; 1 . G . Frazer, Golden Bought, i . 368 sqq.; and W .

R .

Smith, Rel . S''em.2, Index s.v . " hair." streams, the river Bann alone carries off its waters, flowing northward . The principal feeders are the Main on the north, the Crumlin (whose waters have petrifying powers) on the east, the Bann and Blackwater on the south, and the Ballinderry and Moyola on the west . Antrim and Toome, at the N.E. and N.W. respectively, are the only towns immediately on the shores . The islands are few and near the shores; namely, Skady Tower on the north, Ram's Island (with a ruined round tower) on the east, Ready and Coney Islands on the southwest . The lough abounds in fish, including gillaroo trout, char and pullen or fresh-water herring . A tradition that the lough rose suddenly from a fountain, inundating a populous district, and that remains of buildings may be seen below the waters, finds place in Thomas Moore's ballad Let Erin remember .