Making a real splash in print

When the world was battling a pandemic, one Cavan photographer began a quest of his own - to catalogue and capture all of Cavan's 365 lakes. The fruits of Hu O'Reilly's labours have culminated in a wonderful photo book and an exhibition at the County Museum...

The Lakes of Cavan project started in March 2020, when the world was getting to grips with the new Coronavirus pandemic, which was spreading fast. Like so many other businesses at this time, my photography business was slowing down due to lockdown, so I chatted with my wife about a few project ideas that I had. We came to the conclusion that the lakes project was the best one so I began to research and photograph the lakes.

And after almost 18 months’ work, the Lakes of Cavan book and photography exhibition was launched at Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff. I was delighted with how it all came together in the end. There was a strong turnout at the museum, even though invite numbers were limited due to Covid restrictions.

It’s the first time that 365 of Cavan’s lakes have been listed and photographed. There may be a few lakes in the book that some people will argue aren’t lakes, and some lakes not in the book, which people may think should be! A turlough is a lake that appears and disappears due to the limestone rock base, and I’m sure I photographed some of these lakes for the book.

Cavan County Museum is the perfect location to showcase the Lakes of Cavan photographs. There is a large and well-lit gallery space for the framed photographs to hang and another room was made available for refreshments, which made sure there were not too many people in one enclosed space.

There are many other interesting exhibitions on display at the same time and I would recommend anyone to check out some of these, especially the World War 1 Trench Experience - which transports you back to the realities of war over 100 years ago. I would like to say a big thank you to Gary Martin and the staff at the museum for their help with the exhibition, and to recently retired museum curator Savina Donohoe for her help and support of the project.

The Lakes of Cavan book is my first publication and I am very happy with the final result. I aimed to show the beauty of my home county through photographs and also to photograph 365 lakes in Cavan, and I think I achieved both these goals. During this time, I got to see some amazing parts of Cavan that I would not have seen otherwise, whether it be trekking the mountains of West Cavan, foggy mornings on Lough Oughter, Lough Sillan and Lacken Lake, kayaking on Dromore Lough or a summer’s evening photographing Lough Gowna.

I have to give a special thank you to the three main sponsors of the book - Carafin Lodge, Cavan Arts/Cavan County Council & Crover House Hotel - as their contribution was a big boost to the book’s production.

I would also like to thank everyone who backed the project on Kickstarter, as well as the publisher Anthony Farrell from The Lilliput Press. Thanks to the acclaimed writer Michael Harding who wrote a foreword for the book and to talented local designer Ronan Ward for his super work on book design. Thanks also to The Anglo-Celt’s assistant editor, Damian McCarney, who has been a big help to the book.

This project could not have been a success without the support of my family, especially my wife Sinéad who helped and advised me from start to finish. My mum Úna has always been there for me and, while my dad Norrie is no longer here in person, he is always with me in spirit. A special mention to everyone who helped in other ways such as being models for the photographs, brought me out on boats or kayaks, and sent messages or phone calls with information or support. Thank you all.

The Lakes of Cavan book is available to buy on the website www.lakesofcavan.com

The photography exhibition runs until November 26 at Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff.

Here is a list of my 365 lakes of Cavan in alphabetical order. There is a photograph of each one in the book.

Lakes that are not named on maps are marked with an asterisk after their name. Many of these are locally known by the townland in which they are situated. Lakes that have one name on maps but are actually two lakes in reality, such as Cornagrow Lough, have been renamed using brackets, e.g. ‘Cornagrow (East)’ and ‘Cornagrow (West)’.

Many lakes share the same name, and for these the local area or townland is added after the lake name. There are nine lakes in Cavan called ‘Black Lough’, five called ‘Dumb Lough’ and five called ‘White Lough’.

The 365 Lakes of Cavan

Acanon

Acurry

Aghabane

Aghavoher

Aghnacor

Aglaur

Altshallan

Amoneen

Annagh (Ballyconnell)

Annagh (Butlersbridge)

Annaghard

Annaghierin

Annaghoash

Anoneen

Ardan

Ardlougher

Ardra

Asturrall

Atrain

Aush

Bailieborough

Ballymagauran

Ballynamona

Bane

Baraghy

Barn

Barnagrow

Barragh

Bartonny

Bawn

Bawndoora

Beaghy (Billis)

Beaghy (Lavey)

Beg

Bellaboy

Billis*

Black (Cornamucklahg)

Black (Corweelis)

Black (Drumhurt)

Black (Inishconnell)

Black (Killycatron North)

Black (Killycatron South)

Black (Laraweehan)

Black (Moyduff)

Black (Tullyanog)

Bog

Bracklagh

Brackley

Broompark

Bun

Bunerky

Burntbog

Cam

Camagh

Captains

Carn

Carnaman

Carr's

Carrafin

Carratraw

Carrickacladdy

Carrickclevin*

Carrickmore

Carricknacrannoge

Carricknahurroo

Carvagh

Castle (Bailieborough)

Castle (Derrykerrib)

Castlecosby

Chapel (Tonyduff)

Chapel (Bailieborough)

Claragh

Clifferna

Cloggagh

Clonamullig (North)

Clonamullig (South)

Clonandra

Clonty

Cloverhill

Coalpit

Coll

Coologe

Coppony (North)

Coppony (South)

Coragh

Cordonaghy

Corfad / Carfad

Corfeehone (Stradone)

Corfeehone (Castle Saunderson)

Corgave

Corglass (Kilnaleck)

Corglass (Drummany)

Corlissbrattan

Cornafean

Cornagall

Cornagrow (East)

Cornagrow (West)

Cornakeeldrum

Cornalara

Cornaseer

Cornaslieve

Corndvedy

Corr

Corraback / Teemore

Corraghy

Corrakane

Corraneary

Corrarod

Corratinner

Corravohy

Corrawaddy

Correvan

Corrinshigo

Corwellis*

Coskemduff

Countenan

Cratty

Creery

Cuilcagh

Cuillaghan

Cullies

Cullow*

Cuttragh

Dargan

Dawsons

Deerpark

Deralk

Dernaweel

Derreary

Derreskit (North)

Derreskit (South)

Derries

Derrindrehid

Derrintinny

Derrlyane

Derry (Canningstown)

Derry

Derrybrick (Lower)

Derrybrick (Upper)

Derrycassan

Derrygeeraghan (North)

Derrygeeraghan (South)

Derrygid

Derryhoo (Drumalee)

Derryhoo (Milltown)

Derrykerrib

Derrylahan

Derrynananta

Disert

Doo

Dromore

Drumalee

Drumard

Drumbess

Drumcalpin

Drumcrow

Drumeague Lower

Drumeague Upper

Drumeena

Drumellis

Drumergoole

Drumgill

Drumgola

Drumgorry

Drumhart

Drumheel*

Drumherriff

Drumhurrin

Druminnick

Drumkerry (North)

Drumkerry (South)

Drumkilroosk

Drumlane

Drumlaney

Drumlaunaght*

Drumlom

Drumlon

Drummany(Milltown)

Drummany(Belturbet)

Drummard

Drummary

Drumsheil

Dumb (Aghavadrin)

Dumb (Drumerdannan)

Dumb (Drumkeeran Black)

Dumb (Kildallan)

Dumb (Tawlagh)

Dung

Dungummin

Dunmakeever North

Dunmurry

Dunrora

Edenterriff

Enaghan

Ervey

Faharlagh

Farnham

Farranseer

Fartagh

Flemings Folly*

Gabolie

Gallon

Galloncurran

Garfiny

Garrow

Garrow

Gartinardress

Gartnanearne

Gartnanearne North

Garty

Garvagh

Glasdrumman

Glasshouse

Glebe

Gorknakillew

Gortnaleck

Gowna

Graddum

Greaghadoo*

Greaghnafarna*

Green

Greenville

Grilly

Grimes

Gubdoo

Guinikin

Holy (Belturbet)

Holy (Lisnamaine)

Holy (Tomkinroad)

Inchin

Inishmuck

Island

Keeny

Kehernaghkily

Kill

Killaliss

Killybandrick

Killycloughan

Killycreeny*

Killydream (Mullahoran)

Killydream

Killylea

Killymoorey

Killynaner

Killynenagh

Killynure / Bells

Killyrue

Killyvaghan

Killywillin

Killywilly

Kilmore

Kilnaleck

Kinale

Kinkeel

Knockbride Upper

Knockgorm

Ladys Lake

Lakefield

Laurel Hill

Lavey

Leamgeltan

Legalough

Legnagrow

Lenenavragh

Lisclogher (East)

Lisclogher (West)

Lisdoagh

Lisgar

Lisgrea

Lisnananagh

Little

Long (North)

Long (South)

Loughan Macmartin

Lower

Macnean Lower

Macnean Upper

Mentes

Mill

Milltown

Moneen

Moyduff

Muddy

Muff

Mullagh

Mullaghard

Mullaghdoo

Munter Eolas

Mushlin

Nadarragh

Nadreegeel / Lacken (East)

Nadreegeel / Lacken (West)

Naglare

Nagloghderg

Nakirka

Nambrack

Namoyle

Naweelion

Oghill (North)

Oghill (South)

Oghill East*

Omard

Oughter

Parisee / Pharisee

Parkers

Pattersons

Peartree

Pleasure

Portlongfield

Pound

Putiaghan

Quivvy

Rahultan East

Ramor

Ramulligan

Rockfield

Roosky

Roskeeragh

Round

Rud

Sarah

Shancorry

Shankilly Lower*

Shanteman

Sheelin

Shinan

Sillan

Skeagh Lower

Skeagh Upper

Skerrig

Skuddal

Steepletons

Swan (Drummullig)

Swan (Gowna)

Swellan

Tacker

Taghart

Tawlaght

Tee

Teevurcher

Templeport

Tents

Tirlahode

Togher

Tom's / Kilconny

Tomkinroad

Tonawolly

Town (Cootehill)

Town (Killeshandra)

Tully (Glangevlin)

Tully (Killeshandra)

Tullygobban

Tullyguide

Tullylorcan

Tullynamoyle

Tullyroane

Upper Erne

Uragh

Urney

White (Bellananagh)

White (Corweelis)

White (Drumamuck Glebe)

White (Killycatron)

White (Tullyard),

Wood

READ MORE:

Reaching new heights in quest to photograph Cavan’s lakes