Lady’s Island Lake has enormous significance, but its lagoon ecosystems are collapsing

Wexford's Lady’s Island Lake has enormous ecological, spiritual and historical significance.

Sigginstown Island, Tacumshin Lake, County Wexford. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

The word lagoon evokes a sense of tranquil places. Lady’s Island Lake on the south coast of county Wexford is indeed a serene spot, an expanse of shallow brackish water amid low-lying Wexford farmland. A causeway leads to the main ‘island’ where there are remains of a leaning Norman tower house and the remains of a medieval Augustinian church and graveyard. The site has been cherished as a place of pilgrimage and of devotion since at least 600AD. Reedbed habitats fringe the water’s edge, where swans are often in residence here too.

An interactive exhibition in the community centre tells the story of the rich history of the area, its many landmarks, and the wealth of wildlife that Lady’s Island Lake is so famous for.