Erne

Erne, name of a river and two lakes of Ireland. The river rises in Lough Gowna, county Cavan, northern Republic of Ireland, and flows north through Lough Oughter and into south-western Northern Ireland, where it broadens into Upper Lough Erne. The latter is 21 km (13 mi) long and 6.4 km (4 mi) wide and contains about 90 islets. From Upper Lough Erne the river continues north, past the town of Enniskillen, and broadens again into Lower Lough Erne, which is 29 km (18 mi) long and 8 km (5 mi) wide. Lower Lough Erne has more than 100 islets and an abundance of fish, and it is known as a place of great scenic beauty. Devenish, one of the largest of the islets, is the site of the ruins of an abbey and of an ancient round tower. Beyond Lower Lough Erne, the river runs west, flowing past the town of Ballyshannon, county Donegal, Ireland, and emptying into Donegal Bay. The total area drained by the Erne is approximately 4,144 sq km (1,600 sq mi).