Cape Clear Island

Cape Clear Island
Cape Clear Island
Native name: Cléire

Roaring-water Bay
Cape Clear Island is located in Ireland
{{{alt}}}
Cape Clear Island (Ireland)
Geography
Location Carbery's Hundred Isles
Area 6.7 km2 (2.59 sq mi)
Length 5.2 km (3.23 mi)
Width 2.4 km (1.49 mi)
Highest elevation 160 m (520 ft)
Highest point Cnoicín an tSeabhaic
Country
Ireland
Province Munster
County Cork
Barony Carbery West
Demographics
Population 125 (as of 2006)
Density 18.6 /km2 (48.2 /sq mi)
Additional information
The island is a Gaeltacht

Clear Island or Cape Clear Island (officially known by its Irish name: Cléire, and sometimes also called Oileán Chléire) lies south west of County Cork in Ireland. It is the southernmost inhabited part of Ireland and has a population of over 100 people. Officially it is a Gaeltacht (Irish speaking area) and most inhabitants speak Irish and English. Its nearest neighbour is Sherkin Island, 2 km east of the island. The island is divided into east and west halves by an isthmus. Ferries sail from the North Harbour to Schull and Baltimore on the mainland. The South Harbour is a popular berth for yachts.

Contents

History

The island is known as the birthplace of Saint Ciarán, for the Dún an Óir fort, and for its birdlife, including Black and Common Guillemots, Cormorants and storm petrels. The island had a population of over 1,052 before the Famine, and the population of Cape Clear is currently less than 1 eighth that figure. The island has a primary school which was built in 1897. In 1998 Irish President Mary McAleese visited it. Every first weekend of September, Cape hosts the Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival, which has been running annually since 1994. The festival features professional international storytellers from all over the world.

Wildlife

Seals, basking sharks and dolphins are found in the surrounding water, while sea pinks and honeysuckle are common plants on the land. Cape Clear is home to a lighthouse and a bird observatory. Cape Clear is a prime bird watching destination and in certain times of the year is home to hundreds of species of migratory birds which are attracted to its climate, which is much milder than mainland Ireland's. [1]

Archaeology of Cape Clear

Cape Clear Island Burial Ground
Cape Clear Island Burial Ground
  • Boulder Burial, Gort na Lobhar (Gortnalour)
  • Burial Ground, Baile Iarthach (Ballyieragh), Cill Leire Forabhain (Comillane); also Children's Burial Ground, Lios O Moine (Lissamona)
  • Celtic Art Stone with later cross inscription Celtic Iron Age 600 B.C.–400 A.D., Crathach Thiar (Croha West)
  • Church, Baile Iarthach (Ballyieragh) in ruins 1693
  • Cross Slab, Lios O Moine (Lissamona), Baile Iarthach (Ballyieragh)
  • Cup Mark Stone, Cill Leire Forabhain (Comillane) now in Cape Clear Museum
  • Fulach Fiadh (Cooking Pit), Gort na Lobhar (Gortnalour), Cnocan na mBairneach (Knockannamurnagh)
  • Holy Well, Cill Leire Forabhain (Comillane), Baile Iarthach (Ballyieragh) visited on St. Kieran's day 5 March
  • Medieval post 1200 A.D. O'Driscoll Castle
  • Passage Tomb 4000–2200 B.C., Cill Leire Forabhain (Comilane) found 1880
  • Promontory fort Celtic Iron Age 600 B.C.–400 A.D. at Baile Iarthach (Ballyieragh), Cnocan na mBairneach (Knockannamurnagh)
  • Ringfort, Lios O Moine (Lissamona)
  • Signal Tower, Gleann Iarthach (Glen West) burned early 19th century
  • Stone Pair, Cill Leire Forabhain (Comillane), Neolithic 4000–2200 B.C.
  • Tower House and Bawn, Baile Iarthach (Ballyieragh) O'Driscoll

Townlands

The townlands of the island include:

  • Baile Iarthach Theas
  • Baile Iarthach Thuaidh
  • Cnocán an Choimthigh
  • Gleann Iarthach
  • Gleann Meánach
  • Gleann Oirtheach
  • Coinnlín
  • Crathach Thiar
  • Crathach Thoir
  • Cill Leice Fórabhain
  • Lios O Móine
  • Cnocán na mBairneach
  • Gort na Lobhar
  • An tArdghort
  • Ceathrúna
  • Comalán

See also

References

  1. ^ [1] - Birdwatching Cape Clear
  • The Wild Plants of Sherkin, Cape Clear and adjacent Islands of West Cork, John Akeroyd, editor, Sherkin Island Marine Station 1996 ISBN
  • Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, Vol 1 West Cork, Office of Public Works, 1992 ISBN
  • Cape Clear Island , Éamon Lankford, 1999 ISBN

External links

Coordinates: 51°26′N 9°30′W / 51.433°N 9.5°W / 51.433; -9.5


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cape Clear Island — Vorlage:Infobox Insel/Wartung/Fläche fehltVorlage:Infobox Insel/Wartung/Höhe fehlt Cape Clear Island Cape Clear Island …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Clear Island — Cape Clear Island (auch Clear Island; gäl. Cléire oder Oileán Chléire) ist die südlichste Insel Irlands und liegt im Südwesten des County Cork. Sie ist nur 3 km lang und max. 1,5 km breit und hat etwa 120 Bewohner. Ein Isthmus teilt sie in zwei… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Clear Island — Cléire (ga) South harbour. Géographie Pays …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Cape Clear — may refer to: * Cape Clear (software company) * Cape Clear Island, on the southern coast of Ireland. * Cape Clear, Victoria, a town in Australia …   Wikipedia

  • Cape Verde — Cape Verdean /verr dee euhn/. /verrd/ a republic consisting of a group of islands (Cape Verde Islands) in the Atlantic, W of Senegal in W Africa: formerly an overseas territory of Portugal; gained independence in 1975. 393,843; 1557 sq. mi. (4033 …   Universalium

  • Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia — Infobox Settlement official name = Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia other name = (CBRM) native name = nickname = motto = Fortuna Non Mutat Genus (Circumstances Do Not Change Our Origin) imagesize = image caption = flag size = 145px… …   Wikipedia

  • CLEAR, CAPE —    a headland S. of Clear Island, most southerly point of Ireland, and the first land sighted coming from America …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Clear — /klɪə/ (say klear) noun an island in the Republic of Ireland off south western County Cork. The south western tip, Cape Clear, is the southernmost point of Ireland …  

  • Clear Passage Island — Clear Passage Island …   Wikipedia

  • Sherkin Island — (from the Irish Inis Earcáin ) lies southwest of County Cork in Ireland alongside other islands of Roaringwater Bay. It has an average population of 100 people, measures 3 miles long by 1.5 miles wide (5 km by 3 km). The island has a primary… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”