Madam, - Lakes are like people. They are, to quote Bob Dylan, either "busy being born or busy dying". The Corrib falls into the latter category.
The ecology of the lake is changing rapidly with large increases in weed growth, reduced visibility, algae to be seen on the rocks almost everywhere and fly life changing from one form to another. Within the past few years there has been a significant shift away from pollution-sensitive insects towards more robust types with a huge consequent reduction in the quality of the brown trout fishing.
Does this matter, I hear your readers say, to anyone other than fishermen? It matters to the local economy. It matters to all who feel we should protect our heritage and our "tourist image" and it matters to to future generations.
Why should we squander their inheritance? It appears to me that our precious country is being turned into "an economy" and nothing else much matters. If we cannot protect some place as wonderful as the Corrib (which benefits, ironically, from many EU environmental directives) "romantic Ireland" is certainly dead and gone".
What is the cause of this malaise? My best guess, in order of importance: forestry, farming, towns without treatment plants, and one-off housing. All this has happened before, in Loughs Sheelin, Derryvaragh, Ennell, Allen, Conn, Leane, Derg and Ree. And after the Corrib what will be left? We are becoming poorer by becoming richer. - Yours, etc.,
PAUL MURPHY,
Barrington's Avenue,
Ballintemple,
Cork.