In keeping with our January theme of pictures from our vacation along the River Shannon in 2003, this week we are featuring a picture from Holy Island. Yes, we know that this picture, with its stone ruins and circular tower, looks just like our pictures from Clonmacnoise but, believe us, it is a completely different location.
Holy Island, as its name implies, is an island located in the Southwest end of Lough Derg in County Clare. It is also a well know monastic site in Ireland. It is located about half a mile off the mainland, with the closest town being Mountshannon. A brief history of the island can be found here.
The fun thing about Holy Island was that, due to the shallow water around the island, we had to rent a very small boat with an outboard motor to get us from the main pier of the nearest town, over to the Island. Because tourist season was over, none of the regular tour operators were running. After calling around, a very nice, young Irish woman arrived at the pier with a container of fuel. She pointed out a very small boat and after making sure it started, told us to tie it back up to the pier in the same spot when we were finished, got in her car and drove off. The Irish are a very trusting people.
After driving the boat over to the island we discovered we had the whole place to ourselves, with the exception of a small herd of cows. We wandered the through the ruins and the graveyards while giving the bull a very wide berth. When it was nearly dark, we headed back to the mainland in the rented boat. We had no desire to be either on the island with its ghosts or out on the lough in our very small dingy after dark.
We recommend a visit to Holy Island if you are ever in the Mountshannon area, but give yourself plenty of daylight to enjoy the island. There is a lot to explore.
Slainte Y'all!
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