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Islands of Erris
Inishkea - (North and south) Inishglora - Inis Gluaire
Inis Geidhe (thuaidh agus theas)
St. Brendan the Navigator whom we remember,
Colmcille also known as Columba, the dove, founded launched his naomhóg and sailed to the New World
a monastery here in the 6th century. The island is almost 1000 years before Columbus, built a monastic
rich in legend and folklore and was inhabited until 1935. settlement on Inisglora. The ruins here include St.
Today you may visit to view the remains of Colmcille’s Brendan’s beehive hut, a chapel, nunnery, monastery and
once bustling monastic community on the Island. holy well. It is here that the Children of Lir, Conn, Aodh,
These Islands can be visited on a boat trip with Seán Fiachra and Fionnula, are said to have been buried. St.
Lavelle, a descendant of the Islanders themselves. Brendan died in 577 A.D.
See www.divewestireland.com
Duvillaun More - Dubh Oilean mór
Fallmore - An Fál Mór
Yet another monastic settlement is to be found
St. Derbhile lived in the 6th century at Fallmore, on on Duvillaun More, accessible only in very calm
the Southerly tip of the Belmullet Peninsula. weather. Here are stone cross slabs and a holy well.
Here you can visit the remains of her church, “Derbhile’s
bed” and a holy well, Tobar Deirbhle.
Marine Life in Erris
Whales and dolphins are part of a group of animals called “cetaceans”. Cetaceans are afforded
protection within the 200-mile Exclusive Fishery Zone limit of the Irish State under the 1976 Wildlife
Act and a 1982 amendment to the Whale Fisheries Act. Marine mammal legislation also protects all
cetaceans as Annex IV species (species of community interest in need of strict protection) under the
European Habitats directive. Within this directive, there are five marine mammal species that are known
to frequent Irish waters which are further listed as Annex II species (protected endangered and vulnerable
animals), namely;
• Common Bottlenose Dolphin Harbour Porpoises
(Tursiops truncatus)
• Harbour porpoise
(Phocoena phocoena)
• Gray Seal
(Halichoerus grypus)
• Harbour/Common seal
(Phoca vitulina vitulina)
• European Otter
(Lutra lutra)
All five species are found in the Broadhaven
Bay catchment.
201
Inishkea - (North and south) Inishglora - Inis Gluaire
Inis Geidhe (thuaidh agus theas)
St. Brendan the Navigator whom we remember,
Colmcille also known as Columba, the dove, founded launched his naomhóg and sailed to the New World
a monastery here in the 6th century. The island is almost 1000 years before Columbus, built a monastic
rich in legend and folklore and was inhabited until 1935. settlement on Inisglora. The ruins here include St.
Today you may visit to view the remains of Colmcille’s Brendan’s beehive hut, a chapel, nunnery, monastery and
once bustling monastic community on the Island. holy well. It is here that the Children of Lir, Conn, Aodh,
These Islands can be visited on a boat trip with Seán Fiachra and Fionnula, are said to have been buried. St.
Lavelle, a descendant of the Islanders themselves. Brendan died in 577 A.D.
See www.divewestireland.com
Duvillaun More - Dubh Oilean mór
Fallmore - An Fál Mór
Yet another monastic settlement is to be found
St. Derbhile lived in the 6th century at Fallmore, on on Duvillaun More, accessible only in very calm
the Southerly tip of the Belmullet Peninsula. weather. Here are stone cross slabs and a holy well.
Here you can visit the remains of her church, “Derbhile’s
bed” and a holy well, Tobar Deirbhle.
Marine Life in Erris
Whales and dolphins are part of a group of animals called “cetaceans”. Cetaceans are afforded
protection within the 200-mile Exclusive Fishery Zone limit of the Irish State under the 1976 Wildlife
Act and a 1982 amendment to the Whale Fisheries Act. Marine mammal legislation also protects all
cetaceans as Annex IV species (species of community interest in need of strict protection) under the
European Habitats directive. Within this directive, there are five marine mammal species that are known
to frequent Irish waters which are further listed as Annex II species (protected endangered and vulnerable
animals), namely;
• Common Bottlenose Dolphin Harbour Porpoises
(Tursiops truncatus)
• Harbour porpoise
(Phocoena phocoena)
• Gray Seal
(Halichoerus grypus)
• Harbour/Common seal
(Phoca vitulina vitulina)
• European Otter
(Lutra lutra)
All five species are found in the Broadhaven
Bay catchment.
201
