Thousands of fish have died in a Co Roscommon lake which dried out over the past two days. The turlough last drained 10 years ago.
Lough Funshinagh dries out periodically, like all turloughs (disappearing lakes). However, Shannon Fisheries Board staff are puzzled at the speed, just over two days, that it took the lake to drain.
An inspector for the board, Mr Matthew Nolan, said 10 staff, with the help of members of local angling clubs, spent much of yesterday cleaning dead and rotten fish from the muddy lake bed and rescuing live fish caught in pools.
He said that about 6,000 pike and bream died, and about 2,000 were rescued. More are still alive in pools and will be saved today.
The lake, about four miles west of Athlone, is well known for its rich flora and fauna. The draining takes played naturally as the water flows into the lime stone.