| Tory Island Oileán Thoraigh |
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WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
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| Irish Grid Reference B847228 |
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| Statistics | ||
| Province: | Ulster | |
| County: | County Donegal | |
| Dáil Éireann: | Donegal South West | |
| Dialling Code: | 074, +000 353 74 | |
| Population (2002) | 300 | |
Tory Island (official name: Toraigh[1] and also known in Irish as Oileán Thoraigh or previously Oileán Thúr Rí) is an island in Ireland, located nine miles off the Donegal coast of Northwest Ireland.
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Overview
The island is approximately 5 km (3 miles) long and 1 km (0.75 miles) wide. It has a population of 170, divided among four towns — An Baile Thoir (East Town), An Baile Thiar (West Town), An Lár (Middletown) and Úrbaile (Newtown). It is part of the Donegal Gaeltacht and Ulster Irish is the island's main language. Since the 1950s, it has been home to a small community of artists, and has its own art gallery. The English artist Derek Hill is associated with the Tory artist community[2]. One of the artists is Patsaí Dan Mac Ruaidhrí (Patsy Dan Rodgers), who holds the position of Rí Thoraí (King of Tory). This King has no formal power, but is chosen by consensus of the islanders to represent the community; Patsy Dan has acted as a king, making the island recognizable through his family and love for art and music. Patsy Dan tries to greet all tourists as they arrive off the ferry from the mainland. In the apocryphal history of Ireland, Lebor Gabála Érenn, Tory Island was the site of Conand's Tower, the stronghold of the Fomorians, before they were defeated by the Nemedians in a great battle on the island. The later Fomorian king Balor of the evil eye also lived here. Balor would imprison Ethlinn in a tower built atop Tor Mór (or Túr Mór in ancient Irish, meaning The High Tower). Tor Mór is the island's highest point. Tory Island Lighthouse is at coordinates
Transport
Tory island has no airport, but has regular ferry connections from Donegal. The ferry travels daily from April to October and five times a week for the rest of the year. The ferry does not take cars, but holds up to 70 passengers.[3]
Places of interest
Despite its small geographical size, Tory Island is rich in historical and mythological sites, often tied to the island's beautiful and dramatic landscape features. A blend of Christian and Celtic traditions are noticeable in the descriptions of the island's features below: Dún Bhaloir (Balor's fort): Located on the eastern side of the island, the peninsula is surrounded on three sides by 90m-high cliffs, and is virtually impregnable. Balor's fort is only accessible by crossing a narrow isthmus, defended by four earthen embankments.
An Eochair Mhór (The big key) is a long, steep-sided spur jutting from the east side of the peninsula and ending in a crag called An Tor Mór (the big rock). Saighdiúirí Bhaloir (Balor's soldiers): An Eochair Mhór has prominent rocky pinnacles known as Balor's soldiers. They give the spur a 'toothed' appearance, hence the name, The big key. Leac an Leannán (The Wishing Stone) is a precipitous flat-topped rock beside the northern cliff-face of Balor's Fort. Traditionally, a wish is granted to anyone foolhardy enough to step onto the rock, or who succeeds in throwing three stones onto it. Please note: the rock is extremely dangerous, and visitors are strongly advised not to approach it. An Cloigtheach (The Bell Tower) is the most impressive structure to have survived the destruction of the monastery of Colmcille. A monastery was founded on Tory in the 6th century by Colmcille, an influential missionary of the day. The monastery dominated life on Tory until 1595, when it was plundered and destroyed by English troops, waging a war of suppression against local chieftains. The tower was built in the 6th or 7th century, probably to give warning of attacks from the sea. The Tau Cross (a t-shaped cross) is believed to date from the 12th century. It is one of only two Tau crosses in Ireland (the other in Kilnaboy, County Clare). Móirsheisear (Church of the Seven): Móirsheisear, which actually translates as 'big six' - an archaic term for seven - is the tomb of seven people, six men and one woman, who drowned when their boat capsized off Scoilt an Mhóirsheisear (the cleft of the seven) on the island's northwest coast. According to local superstition, clay from the woman's grave has the power to ward off vermin. The Lighthouse, standing at the west end of the island, was built between 1828 and 1832 to a design by George Halpin, a well-known designer of Irish lighthouses. In April 1990 the lighthouse was automated. The lighthouse is one of three in Ireland in which a reference station for the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) is installed. This satellite-tracking system, managed by the US Department of Defence, allows ships and boats to locate their position at any time. The Torpedo: A torpedo can be seen midway between An Baile Thiar and An Baile Thoir. It washed ashore during World War 2 and was defused and erected at its present location.
Flora and Fauna
The island is an important breeding site for Corn Crakes whose numbers have fallen in other locations with the rise in agriculture. Ancient records of the flora and fauna of this island can be found in Hyndman's notes on the history of the island.[4] Algae found locally includes: Fucus vesiculosus, Fucus nodosus, Himanthalia lorea, Laminaria digitata, Rhodomenia laciniata, Plocamium coccineum, Ptilota plumosa, Conferva rupestrus, Codium tomtntosum, Codium adhaerens det Dr Harvey.[4]
References and further reading
- ^ Placenames (Ceantair Ghaeltachta) Order 2004
- ^ Funeral arrangements made for artist Derek Hill — RTÉ News article, 31 July 2000
- ^ http://www.toryislandferry.com
- ^ a b Hyndman, G.C. 1852. Notes on the natural history of Tory Island. Ulster J.Archaeol. 1: 34 - 3
- Williams H.G "Tory Island, County Donegal: a study on geographical isolation" Irish Geography, Dublin 1952
- Hunter, J. 2006. The Waves of Tory. Colin-Smyth Ltd. ISBN 10 0 86140 456 4
See also
External links
- Oileanthorai.com — Official Tory Island Tourism Website
- A place of bewitching beauty — BBC News article
- Google Maps — Map showing the island's location
- Google Maps — satellite image of the island
- Article on Oileán Toraigh in Beo
- The Tory Islanders, a 1978 ethnographic account by R. Fox
