Native name: Oileán Baoi | |
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 Dursey Island as seen from a hiking path on the mainland | |
  Dursey Island | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Beara Peninsula |
| Coordinates | 51°36′N10°12′W / 51.600°N 10.200°W /51.600; -10.200 |
| Area | 5.6 km2 (2.2 sq mi) |
| Length | 6.5 km (4.04 mi) |
| Width | 1.5 km (0.93 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 252 m (827 ft) |
| Administration | |
Ireland | |
| Province | Munster |
| County | Cork |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 3 (2022)[1] |
| Additional information | |
| Official website | DurseyIsland.ie |
Dursey Island (Irish:Baoi Bhéarra orOileán Baoi[2]) lies at the southwestern tip of theBeara Peninsula in the west ofCounty Cork inIreland. Dursey Island is 6.5 kilometres long and 1.5 kilometres wide. The island is separated from the mainland by a narrow stretch of water, Dursey Sound, which has a very strongtidal race, with the submerged Flag Rock close to the centre of the channel.
The island has just three or so permanent residents, and is connected to the mainland by Ireland's onlycable car. The cable car system, which was closed for maintenance during 2022,[3][4] was reopened in mid-2023 following replacement or refurbishment of its towers, tracks and related infrastructure.[5]
Dursey has no shops, pubs or restaurants.[6] At one point there was a post office on the island; this has since closed.[2][7]
Thetownlands on the island are Ballynacallagh, Kilmichael, and Tilickafinna. There are three main peaks, the highest being 252 metres (827 ft).[8] The promontories and rocks off Dursey include:
Off the western point of the island are three rocks: Bull Rock, Cow Rock and Calf Rock.Bull Rock Lighthouse, which stands on Bull Rock, was built in 1888 and automated in March 1991. Bull Rock was inhabited until this time.[9]
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| Source:Central Statistics Office."CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year".CSO.ie. Retrieved12 October 2016. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A staffed lighthouse on Calf Rock was destroyed in a storm in 1881 and its remains can still be seen.[10]
Cow Rock is home to a number of nesting colonies of seabirds.Dolphins,whales andbasking sharks are sometimes seen in the sea off the island.
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Prehistoric sites have been surveyed on the island, including examples ofbullaun andcup-marked stones in Ballynacallagh, a prehistoric hut site at Killowen, and a radial stone enclosure at Maughanaclea.[11]
More prominent archaeological sites are visible at Ballynacallagh, where there is a ruined monastic church and graveyard, and at the site of a castle on Oileán Beag ("Small Island"). In 1602 this castle site was a garrison of theO'Sullivan Beare family. It was destroyed (along withDunboy Castle) during theNine Years' War.Philip O'Sullivan Beare claimed that all of the occupants of the castle were killed by a force under the command ofGeorge Carew in theDursey massacre.[12] The 300 islanders were killed; Donal Cam O'Sullivan Beare gathered his people from across Cork and set off to take shelter with the O'Rourkes ofLeitrim. Of the 1,000 that set off, 35 survived to reach the O'Rourkes after the convoy was repeatedly attacked.[8] Little evidence of the castle site remains.
On the highest point on the island, at Tilickafinna, is a signal tower dating to theNapoleonic Wars.[13] This narrow rectangular tower had two storeys over a basement, with each storey supported by vaulted stonework. The tower has been in ruin since the mid-19th century.[14]
DuringWorld War II a whitewashed sign sayingÉire was built and painted close to the signal tower to indicate to pilots that they were overflying neutral Ireland. In July 1943 a LuftwaffeJunkers Ju 88 crashed in fog on Crow Head near Dursey, killing all crew.[15]
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| Source:Central Statistics Office."CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year".CSO.ie. Retrieved12 October 2016. and"E2021: Population of Inhabited Islands Off the Coast 2011 to 2016 by Sex, Islands and Census Year". | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The island is popular with day-trippers and walkers during the summer months. Awaymarked section of theBeara Way loops around the island.[16] Dursey Island's Beara Way walk marks the beginning of Europe'sE8 European long distance path, which crosses Europe, ending inIstanbul,Turkey.
Spanning Dursey Sound, theaerial tramway is Ireland's only cable car,[17] and one of the few cable cars that cross the sea in Europe. Used by both tourists and the local population,[18] its towers and tracks were replaced in refurbishment works undertaken during 2022 and early 2023.[3][5]
Dursey Sound is also one of the "signature discovery points" along theWild Atlantic Way,[19] a coastal touring route that stretches along Ireland's Atlantic coastline.
Dursey has no shops, pubs or restaurants, but a few holiday homes are rented on the island.[20]
Announcement from Cork County Council [..] The cable car will be closed for a major maintenance programme from 1st April, 2022 - 30th November 2022
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