Lough Lene (Irish: Loch Léinn) is a lake situated in north County Westmeath, Ireland, between the villages of Castlepollard, Collinstown and Fore.

It has a rich and varied history, including several prehistoric burial sites, old ruins, a number of ancient village-type communal circular dwellings locally called ringforts, stiles, and mass paths.

Lough Lene also has claims to being the home to kings and Vikings, such as Turgesius who had one of his forts upon the hill on the southwest overlooking the lake from the Ranaghan side, before being killed by Máel Sechnaill mac Maíl Ruanaid.

[3] These Roman-period log-boats were constructed for lake fishing, and were about 8 m long, 1.5 m wide, and 80 centimetres deep, were made of oak, yew, and possibly willow.

In more recent times, since the Republic of Ireland joined the European Union, Lough Lene is also known as the first freshwater lake to obtain a Blue Flag for its pollution-free water.

This has been allocated several times, largely due to the surrounding agricultural communities' commitment to preserving this water resource and habitat for fish and wildlife by managing effluent run-off from their farms.

Collinstown, Rickardstown and Glenidan have formed a Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club called the Lough Lene Gaels.

Dressing-rooms and picnic areas are available to tourists at the point locally referred to as "the Cut" about 2 km north from the Collinstown cross-roads.

[citation needed] Due to the quality and clarity of the water, together with the safe access at "the Cut", the lough is a popular bathing and swimming location suitable for families and experienced swimmers.

[citation needed] Parts of the lake are protected, under the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43EEC), as a Special Area of Conservation.

The ground flora of the wood at the northwestern end of the lake includes a range of peat mosses (Sphagnum spp.

Freshwater marsh/fen vegetation, with such species as purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea), bottle sedge (Carex rostrata), black bog-rush (Schoenus nigricans), and marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris), occurs in certain areas near the lake; one such area supports a population of rare round-leaved wintergreen (Pyrola rotundifolia subsp.

Unpolluted hard-water lakes such as Lough Lene are becoming increasingly rare in Ireland and in Europe and are of a type that is listed upon the Annex of the E.U.