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Clare Island (Oileán Chliara in Irish) is a mountainous island guarding the entrance to Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. It is famous as the home of the pirate queen, Grace O'Malley. Approximately 125 people live there today. Geographical stats:
- Area (approx): 16 km² (10 mi²)
- Highest point: 462 metres (1515 ft)
- Latitude/Longitude:
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History
Through the Middle-Ages Clare Island was part of the lands of the O' Malley family. The ruins of an O'Malley tower-house, known as Grace O' Malley's castle because of its most famous resident, are close to the pier at the eastern edge of the island. The small Cistercian Abbey near the south coast of the island was founded by the O'Malleys and contains the O'Malley Tomb, a possible burial site of Grace O'Malley. The Abbey is known for its rare medieval roof paintings. In 1588 a ship from the Spanish Armada was wrecked on Clare Island and its men killed by the O' Malleys.
A very prominent landmark of the island is the Clare Island Lighthouse, established by John Denis Browne, the 1st Marquess of Sligo, in 1806. On 29 September 1813 a fire, caused by careless disposal of the oil-lamp wicks, destroyed part of the tower and the lantern. The rebuilt light was ready in 1818. In 1834 the tower was struck by lightning. The cylindrical masonry lighthouse tower is 118 metres (387 ft) tall and 11 metres (36 ft) across. After 159 years of faithful service the lighthouse was taken out of service on 28 September 1965, replaced by the modern Achillbeg Island lighthouse on the south side of Achill Island.
Fauna and Flora
Between 1909 and 1911, the Belfast naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger led an exhaustive biological survey of the island, which was unprecedented at the time and served as a template for future studies. Based on a preliminary survey two shores were selected for study: an exposed shore at Leckanny and a less exposed shore at Portnakilly also a survey of the barnacles, a study of the morphology of the cypris larvae, the limpets and the mussels. The resulting survey was published in 2002 edited by A.Mayers [1]
Transportation and Infrastructure
Clare Island is accessible by daily ferry services from Roonagh Pier near Louisburgh. The island has a hotel, a few B&B and a yoga and meditation centre. Maps are available for walkers and hill-walkers. The island is also suitable for exploration by bicycle. The island has its own primary school and a post office. Children go to the mainland for post-primary (high school) education.
References
- ^ Mayers, A.(ed.) 2002. New Survey of Clare Island. Volume 3: Marine Intertidal Ecology. Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 1 874045 37 2
The island also features in a famous song by the Irish folk-rock band, the Saw Doctors from their 1996 album, Same Oul Town.
