The island of Inchcleraun (Inis Cloithreann) in the northern part of the lake is the site of a monastery founded in the early Christian era and contains the remains of several ancient churches.

[2] The geographical centre of Ireland was previously calculated to be in the townland of Carnagh East, County Roscommon on the western shore of Lough Ree, opposite the Cribby Islands[3] Also Hodson pillar which is located on an island on the lake is said to be the most central point in Ireland.

However, in 2022 Ordnance Survey Ireland did a new calculation which put the centre near Castletown Geoghegan in County Westmeath.

[5] Lough Ree site has been designated a Special Protection Area on the basis of its migratory waterfowl, with nationally important numbers of Tachybaptus ruficollis.

[6] In 2021, invasive quagga mussels were discovered in the lake and in Lough Derg by a research team from UCD.