20 Islands to Explore in Connacht

Checkout places to visit in Connacht

Connacht is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms. Its eastern boundary is the middle course of the River Shannon. Connaught is the poorest part of the Irish republic and comprises the modern counties of Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Galway, and Roscommon.

Islands by destinations in Connacht

County Mayo (5)

Popular Activities And Trips in Connacht

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Islands to Explore in Connacht

Achillbeg is a small island in County Mayo, Ireland, just off the southern tip of Achill Island. Achillbeg is situated south of Cloghmore, northeast of Calliagherom Rock. The main settlement was in the centre of the island, bounded by two hills to the north and south. There are a small number of holiday homes on the island, but they are usually empty for most of the year.

Ardoileán, is a small island off the northwest coast of Connemara in County Galway, Ireland. It was once the site of an early Irish monastic community. It is one of thirty-odd islands off the west coast of Ireland, between Inishtrahull and Clear Island, which were settled by hermits and monastic communities in the early Christian period.

Caher Island, an uninhabited island off the coast of County Mayo in Ireland, is situated between the larger Clare Island and Inishturk. An ancient centre for pilgrimage, it is still visited for this reason today. On 15 August each year, the Feast of the Assumption, there is a pilgrimage to the island.The island has an Early Christian monastery with the remains of a chapel in an enclosure and several carved slabs. The island appears to hold the remains of hermitages of seventh century monks.

Castle Island, Lough Key

Lost in the middle of the lake of Lough Key is a small island and its castle: Castle Island. Beautiful, it once belonged to the most influential family in the Roscommon area and is one of the jewels of the lake. The only condition to admire it: take the boat. The island is sometimes referred to as Mac Dermots Island to this day. We first hear of a castle Island when the Annals of Loch Cé report that it was burned down in 1187 by lightning.

Collanmore Island

Collanmore is a private and unique island in Clew Bay, only 12 minutes from Westport. It is overlooked by the majestic Croagh Patrick and is located in an area of outstanding beauty. From Collanmore there are views of Croagh Patrick and the bay. It is accessed by boat from Rosmoney pier, a few kilometres from Westport, County Mayo.

Coney Island is the largest and the most famous of the three islands off the northern coast of the Coolera peninsula. It is an island of approximately 400 acres and is named after the vast quantity of rabbits which can be spotted on the island at any time. The island which is 1½ miles long by ¾ mile across is accessible by boat from the pier at Rosses Point, but the most popular route is by way of Cummeen Strand when the tide is out.

The beautiful island of Dernish is located at Carns, off the coast of Moneygold, close to the old church at Ahamlish, in Carbury, the ancient kingdom of North Sligo. It is a tidal island, cut off from the mainland except at times of spring tides, when it is possible to walk out across the beach from O'Connor's Island.

Gorumna is an island on the west coast of Ireland, forming part of County Galway The Island is linked with the mainland through the Béal an Daingin Bridge. Gorumna properly consists of three individual islands in close proximity, Lettermullen, Teeranea and Lettermore. It is mostly underlain by intrusive Devonian-aged Galway Granite that formed from crustal melting as a result of the Caledonian Orogeny in the late Silurian.

Inchagoill Island, located midway between Cong and Oughterard, is one of the largest of many wooded islets along Lough Corrib. It has spectacular views of the Maumturk range, Joyce Country and the mountains of Connemara. There also stands the ruins of two ancient churches, both of the small Irish type but of far different styles and dates.

The small island of Inishnee in Roundstone Bay is connected to the mainland by a narrow bridge and is a wonderfully unique destination. The island is equipped with a lighthouse. As of 2011, it had a population of 43.

Inishbofin is a small island off the coast of Connemara, which was home to “Dún Gráinne”, the remains of a fort used by the legendary Pirate Queen, Grace O'Malley. It's some 5.5 km long by 3 km wide and has a population of 175. It's low-lying and treeless, with heathland sprayed by the sea. It is a great tourist destination and it attracts a lot of tourists to enjoy the beauty of this area.

Inishark sometimes called Shark Island, is a small island neighbouring the larger Inishbofin in County Galway, Ireland. Inishark is situated northeast of Shark Head, north of Black Rock. The island was occupied for thousands of years and has many Bronze Age sites such as burial grounds and monuments. The island is now uninhabited; the last 23 inhabitants of this former isolated fishing and farming community were evacuated on the 20th of October 1960.

Inishbiggle is a small inhabited island off the coast of Ballycroy in County Mayo. Its name in Irish means "Vigil Island". The island is situated between the northeast of Achill Island and the mainland, and is accessed by boat from either Doran's point at Ballycroy or Bullsmouth, Dooniver on Achill Island. The island is 2½ km x 1½ km, or 650 acres in area.

Inishbofin is a small island off the coast of Connemara, County Galway, Ireland. The island is 5.7km by 4km. The main activities on the island today are tourism, farming and fishing. The island is a breeding area for many species of birds. Inishbofin is home to “Dún Gráinne”, the remains of a fort used by the legendary Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley.

Inishmaan is the middle of the three main Aran Islands in Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland. It is part of County Galway in the province of Connacht. Inishmaan has a population of about 183, making it the smallest of the Aran Islands in terms of population. It is one of the most important strongholds of traditional Irish culture. The island is predominantly Irish-speaking and part of the Gaeltacht, though all inhabitants have knowledge of English.

Inishmurray Island has been uninhabited since the 1940's wth the last occupants vacating in 1948. Located in Donegal Bay 7km off the coast of Sligo. There are remains of an early Irish monastic settlement. Laisrén Mac Decláin reputedly founded a monastery here in the 6th century. The island's ecclesiastical settlement was attacked in 795 and again in 807 by the Vikings, and eventually the monks abandoned the island.

Inishturk is an inhabited island of County Mayo, in Ireland. Inishturk has been inhabited on and off since 4,000 BCE and has been inhabited permanently since at least 1700. Inishturk meaning ‘Island of the Wild Boar’, is a wild, windswept patch of lush greenness with sheer wall-like cliffs and steep hills.

Innisfree is a small, uninhabited Irish island on Lough Gill. Rather wild and pretty, it was one of the inspirational places of William Butler Yeats, an eminent Irish writer from Sligo. . The Island is not accessable but may be viewed from land or by boat. The lake Isle of Innisfree boat trip is available from Parke’s Castle.

Map of Islands to Explore in Connacht