Lough Ramor (Irish: Loch Ramhar)[2] is a large natural lake of 741 hectares situated near Virginia, County Cavan.
The literal meaning of the term Muinreamhair is 'fat-neck' and appears to be derived from a prehistoric or mythical ancestor warrior, connoting great strength.
The early nineteenth century saw extensive tree planting of ash, elm, oak, larch, spruce and Scots pine.
The most recent site study conducted by the Government Department of the Environment describes the Lough Ramor area as a hollow in the Silurian strata that covers most of eastern County Cavan.
Hazel and hawthorn scrub is widespread on relatively dry sites with bramble, false brome, wood sedge, violet, bluebell, wild hyacinth and primrose.
The bird community in such sites include treecreeper, long-tailed tit, chiffchaff, willow warbler and locally blackcap, common woodpigeon, sparrowhawk, jay, pheasant and woodcock are also found.
Also on the fringes occurs a more varied community characteristic of base-poor areas, with such species as marsh ragwort, lesser spearwort, devil's-bit scabious, marsh-bedstraw and hoary willowherb, creeping bent, sweet vernal-grass, Yorkshire fog and purple moor-grass.
The lake supports nationally important numbers of great cormorant (averaging around 200) and notable concentrations of whooper swan, wigeon, teal, mallard, grey heron and lapwing.
The plant communities along the lake margins are of note and combine with over wintering bird numbers to make Lough Ramor an important wetland site.
The chronicles describe the event: "The demolition of the island of Loch Muinreamhair by Maelseachlainn, son of Maelruanaidh against a crowd of 'sons of death' of the Luigni and Gailenga who were plundering the districts at the instigation of the foreigners (Norsemen) and they were destroyed by him."