The Islands of Ireland: Wilde charms of Corrib

The southern section of Lough Corrib still has dozens of islands and was in fact once connected to Galway City by means of a canal

A private house on Inishanboe, Lough Corrib, Co Galway. As an indicator of the lough's importance, many Viking longboats have been found over the years in its waters, proving its navigability from Galway City.

Lough Corrib is so vast that its corrugated shores in counties Galway and Mayo resembles an inland sea. Geographic nomenclature should probably have called it a sea and been done with it. In two sections, the northern area comprises the majority of its at least reputed 1,200 islands (don't worry, they won't all appear in this column). 

A more conservative estimate puts the total at 365 but discounting mere rocks and islets exposed when the lough's level is low, the true figure is closer to about 150.