| Ballysaggart Lough Black Lough Loch Bhaile an tSagairt Loch Dhubh | |
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  Location in Northern Ireland | |
| Location | Dungannon,County Tyrone,Northern Ireland |
| Coordinates | 54°29′40″N6°46′40″W / 54.49444°N 6.77778°W /54.49444; -6.77778 |
| Basin countries | United Kingdom |
Ballysaggart Lough orBlack Lough is alough inDungannon,County Tyrone,Northern Ireland. It is within thedrainage basin of theRiver Blackwater which flows out ofLough Neagh.[1] It is part of the waterway created to service mills in nearbyMoygashel.[2] The lough has an area of 42.5 acres (17.2 ha).[3] Bally Saggart Lough came under the ownership ofMid Ulster District Council in 2014 and the Council are looking to improve public access to the Lough.[4]
In 2002 a man drowned after getting into difficulties swimming across it.[5]
The Ballysaggart Environmental Group was formed in 2004 to protect the unique habitat in and around the Lough.[6] 102 species of bird have been recorded at the Lough, 18 of which are "on the endangered list".[3] Species recorded includeEurasian curlew,Eurasian teal andhen harrier,mallard,Eurasian wigeon,common goldeneye andwhooper swan.[2] In 2006 avagrant drakelesser scaup was photographed on the lough,[7] while other unusual bird species reported from lough includeIceland gull,glaucous gull andyellow-legged gull.[8] Among the fish species recorded in the lough arepike,perch andrudd,roach,bream,tench andeel.Coarse fishing takes place at the lough with the best fishing are near the sluice at its northern end where the water is deeper.[9]
The name Ballysaggart is considered to mean the "field ortownland of the priests" and a priory was located towards the northern end of Ballysaggart Lough.[2] This may refer to aFranciscan Priory on Drumbearn Hill atCastlecaulfield which opened in 1687, before moving toDonnaghmore and lasted until 1816-17 when the last friar died.[10]