Page 44 - Guerin Media | Cork Airport Holiday & Destination Guide 2015
P. 44
Bere Island - An tOileán Mór Ardigole - Eadargóil, “between two inlets”
Located just 2kms offshore from the fishing port of Adrigole is where today’s Global Ban on CFC’s
Castletownbere, Bere Island retains a distinct easy took root. The scientist Sir James Lovelock, author
charm of rural Ireland. The Slieve Miskish and of the Gaia theory of the earth, was sitting in his
Caha Mountain ranges of the Beara Peninsula holiday cottage in Adrigole one summer’s day
tower over the island providing a dramatic of 1968. Looking out at the thick smog that lay
backdrop. Home to a population of just over 200, across the village he started to wonder. Could it be
the island is roughly 11kms x 5kms a size that is caused by industrial pollution blowing across from
manageable for walkers and cyclists. Europe, on an easterly wind? Having some years
History remembers this Island as the place where previously invented an ECD or electron capture
the Bantry Longboat ran aground- where the device, to measure air pollution he was thus able
hopes of the French’ and Ireland’s 1798 Rebellion to confirm that this smog was, in fact, industrial
lay at the mercy of a catastrophic storm. pollution. It was made up largely of
Chlorofluorocarbons – CFC’s. Thus Adrigole became
Due to its strategic location, Bere Island offers a the first in a worldwide network of Atmospheric
very interesting heritage. Rich in Pollution Monitoring Stations. Further research
archaeological sites dating from the Bronze Age uncovered the startling fact that CFC’s were the
through to medieval times, here you can explore main cause of the thinning of our ozone layer.
ring forts, standing stones, wedge tombs and burial The Gaia theory posits that Earth is itself a self
sites. At various stages the British constructed -regulating living entity that continuously
Martello towers, a signal tower, military barracks adjusts the elements to create the best physical
and a military fortification which hosts two six and chemical environment to sustain life.
inch guns, all of which can be seen today. A quiet
Island paradise for bird watchers and plant lovers Castletown - Bearhaven “Baile Chaisleáin
to delight at the many species to be found on land
and at the water’s edge. Bhéarra” Town of the Castle
Of all the peninsulas in the South West, Beara is
Dursey Island - Oileán Baoi the one that feels oldest. Look closely and you can
see how the wind and rain have eaten into the
Dursey is an Island separated from the mainland rock so that today only stubs remain of what were
by a narrow stretch of water called the Dursey once peaks. Rather than towering out of reach,
Sound. This channel has a very strong tidal race, the land here has an intimate feel. Perhaps it is
with a reef of rocks in the centre of the channel the influence of so many different cultures that
which is submerged at high tides. Located off the have made this land home and creates this special
tip of the Beara peninsula, it is connected to the feeling. There are remains to this today of the rich
mainland by the only cable car in Ireland which is veins of copper up at the end of the peninsula
licenced to carry three passengers and one cow! near Allihies. Evidence here from 1600 B.C shows
This peaceful island is 6.5 km long and 1.5 km wide how fires were once used here to crack the ore to
with only a handful of permanent residents. The extract copper. This was then combined with tin
island, historically, was made up of 3 from Cornwall across the Celtic Sea to produce the
villages- Ballynacallagh, Kilmichael, and bronze of weaponry and ornament. In later times,
Tilickafinna respectively from east to west on the a copper mining business was set up in Allihies
island. Quite a few of the buildings that comprised around the peak of Hungry Hill. If you are in need
these villages can still be seen today. Another once of a cosy hideaway you can visit the Great & Co
bustling community lost to the famine, to cafe to sample some homemade cakes and support
emigration - it surely has tales to be told yet the local artisans of Castletown Bere. Dominated
nothing but stone to echo mumbling memories by the rolling Caha Mountains, the Beara
of those long gone inhabitants. As Dursey has no peninsula is of geological interest. The bare rock
shops, pubs or restaurants, visitors are well advised in all its wondrous variegated splendour has also
to bring food and water if they plan to go for a inspired stories in the local folklore. It is as if the
walk! rocks themselves have a voice in this barren
landscape, if we but only listen.
44
Located just 2kms offshore from the fishing port of Adrigole is where today’s Global Ban on CFC’s
Castletownbere, Bere Island retains a distinct easy took root. The scientist Sir James Lovelock, author
charm of rural Ireland. The Slieve Miskish and of the Gaia theory of the earth, was sitting in his
Caha Mountain ranges of the Beara Peninsula holiday cottage in Adrigole one summer’s day
tower over the island providing a dramatic of 1968. Looking out at the thick smog that lay
backdrop. Home to a population of just over 200, across the village he started to wonder. Could it be
the island is roughly 11kms x 5kms a size that is caused by industrial pollution blowing across from
manageable for walkers and cyclists. Europe, on an easterly wind? Having some years
History remembers this Island as the place where previously invented an ECD or electron capture
the Bantry Longboat ran aground- where the device, to measure air pollution he was thus able
hopes of the French’ and Ireland’s 1798 Rebellion to confirm that this smog was, in fact, industrial
lay at the mercy of a catastrophic storm. pollution. It was made up largely of
Chlorofluorocarbons – CFC’s. Thus Adrigole became
Due to its strategic location, Bere Island offers a the first in a worldwide network of Atmospheric
very interesting heritage. Rich in Pollution Monitoring Stations. Further research
archaeological sites dating from the Bronze Age uncovered the startling fact that CFC’s were the
through to medieval times, here you can explore main cause of the thinning of our ozone layer.
ring forts, standing stones, wedge tombs and burial The Gaia theory posits that Earth is itself a self
sites. At various stages the British constructed -regulating living entity that continuously
Martello towers, a signal tower, military barracks adjusts the elements to create the best physical
and a military fortification which hosts two six and chemical environment to sustain life.
inch guns, all of which can be seen today. A quiet
Island paradise for bird watchers and plant lovers Castletown - Bearhaven “Baile Chaisleáin
to delight at the many species to be found on land
and at the water’s edge. Bhéarra” Town of the Castle
Of all the peninsulas in the South West, Beara is
Dursey Island - Oileán Baoi the one that feels oldest. Look closely and you can
see how the wind and rain have eaten into the
Dursey is an Island separated from the mainland rock so that today only stubs remain of what were
by a narrow stretch of water called the Dursey once peaks. Rather than towering out of reach,
Sound. This channel has a very strong tidal race, the land here has an intimate feel. Perhaps it is
with a reef of rocks in the centre of the channel the influence of so many different cultures that
which is submerged at high tides. Located off the have made this land home and creates this special
tip of the Beara peninsula, it is connected to the feeling. There are remains to this today of the rich
mainland by the only cable car in Ireland which is veins of copper up at the end of the peninsula
licenced to carry three passengers and one cow! near Allihies. Evidence here from 1600 B.C shows
This peaceful island is 6.5 km long and 1.5 km wide how fires were once used here to crack the ore to
with only a handful of permanent residents. The extract copper. This was then combined with tin
island, historically, was made up of 3 from Cornwall across the Celtic Sea to produce the
villages- Ballynacallagh, Kilmichael, and bronze of weaponry and ornament. In later times,
Tilickafinna respectively from east to west on the a copper mining business was set up in Allihies
island. Quite a few of the buildings that comprised around the peak of Hungry Hill. If you are in need
these villages can still be seen today. Another once of a cosy hideaway you can visit the Great & Co
bustling community lost to the famine, to cafe to sample some homemade cakes and support
emigration - it surely has tales to be told yet the local artisans of Castletown Bere. Dominated
nothing but stone to echo mumbling memories by the rolling Caha Mountains, the Beara
of those long gone inhabitants. As Dursey has no peninsula is of geological interest. The bare rock
shops, pubs or restaurants, visitors are well advised in all its wondrous variegated splendour has also
to bring food and water if they plan to go for a inspired stories in the local folklore. It is as if the
walk! rocks themselves have a voice in this barren
landscape, if we but only listen.
44
