Clare Island
Photo of Clare Island
Beaches - Clare Island
Welcome to Clare Island one of the Blue flag Beaches along the
Bird Life
Some of the more common birds that can be seen at the beach include:
Cormorants (Broigheall)
Shags (Seaga)
Waders
Snipe (Naoscach)
Lapwing (Pilibin)
Oystercatcher (Roilleach)
Terns:
Common Tern (Geabhrog)
Artic Tern (Geabhrog artach)
Sandwich Tern (Geabhrog dhuscothach)
Gulls:
Common Gull (Faoilean Ban)
Kittiwake ( Saidhbhear)
Blackheaded Gull (Faoilean ceanndubh)
Great Black-backed Gull ( Droimneach mor)
Lesser Black backed Gull (Droimneach beag)
Herring Gull ( Faoilean scadam)
Area of Scientific Interest
Clare Island
Clare Island lies at the entrance to Clew Bay in County Mayo some 5 km from the mainland. The island has a diverse geology;there are Dalradin sandstone’s and shale’s, carboniferous sandstone’s, shale’s conglomerates and a variety of Silurian rocks. Much of the low-lying ground is covered by boulder clay and locally derived glacial drift. The dominating feature of the island is a ridge that runs east to west, attains a height of 462 m at Knockmore and forms precipitous sea cliffs along the north western shore. Clare Island has been the subject of scientific studies since near the beginning of the century. The site is of high scientific interest because of the presence of excellent examples of animal and plant species. In addition, long term trends can be detected due to the fact that the islands natural history has been extremely well documented since the early part of this century.
Sea Cliffs
The sea cliffs of the northern coastline consist of vertical precipices alternating with steep grassy slopes and huge blocks of rock. The cliffs are well vegetated, with grasses and herbs such as Harebell (Camapnula rotundifolia) Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), thrift (Armeria maritime) and Red Fescue (Festura rubra). On the upper cliffs there is a concentration of alpine vegetation, which is species rich and includes a number of rarities. Along the tip of the lower cliffs is a plantain sward, that is , low growing vegetation dominated by Plantains (plantago coronopus and plantago maritime) with around twenty other species. There is a concentration of alpine vegetation on the upper ranges of the cliffs. Roseroot ( Rhodiola Rosea), Mountain Sorrel (Oxyria digyna) saxifrages (S. Rosacea, S. Spathularis S. Spathularis x geum) Dwarf Willow (Salix herbacea) and Ferns ( Asplenium viride, Cystopteris fragilis and Hymenophyllum wilsonii) with an abundant and species-rich bryophyte flora. Healthy vegetation covers the upland areas of most of the island. Three small lakes are seen in the saddle between Knocknaveen and Knockmore. Another lake, Lough Avullin towards the east of the site, appears to have been drained and is dominated by Common Reed (Phragrnites australis). Agricultural land is along the southern shore. Pockets of peat are associated with river sources. There is a single sandy beach with low sand dunes at the harbour and there is a small area of saltmarsh further north – east at Kinnincorra. Patches of woodland are rejuvenating in areas fenced off from livestock. A rocky shore is present along this southern coast with very small boulder beaches. Along the coast west-north west edge the rocks are replaced by very steep cliffs already mentioned. The boundary of the site at this steep cliff extends 500m into the sea.
The History
Clare is an island steeped in atmosphere of the past mostly on account of its one time associations with the great maritime clan of O’ Malley and the great sea captain and pirate Grace O’ Malley, known in Irish annals as Granuaile. The O’ Malley Clan were custodians of the deeply indented coast from Galway Bay to Donegal Bay. They guarded their territorial waters jealously. After the death of Granuaile in or around 1601 Clare Island passed out of O’ Malley domination to be held for the first time by Ulick Burke, Earl of Clanricard. Later in the seventeenth century it was confiscated by the crown and granted to an English adventurer who sold the island to O’ Malley of Belclare. Clare Island remained in O’ Malley ownership until the nineteenth century when Sir Samuel O’ Malley mortgaged it to a London Insurance Company. The last private proprietor was Mr. James McDonnell of Westport whose nieces inherited the island and sold it to the Congested Districts Board after it was divided into farms.
Historical Sites
A variety of historic sites are located throughout Clare Island. A megalithic tomb, ten promontory forts, Iron Age huts and field systems, over 45 Fulachta Fiadh (bronze-age cookery sites) are all readily accessible on the island. The island is famous for the Carmelite Abbey located on the south of the island. It was founded in the thirteenth century as a cell of Knockmoy, County Galway. The present building dates from the fifteenth century and comprises a chancel, nave and sacristy. There is also the Granuaile Castle which occupies an elevated promontory to the south of the harbour. In the early nineteenth century Sir Samuel O’ Malley had the building renovated for use by the coastguard.
Land Use
Land use at the site involves heavy grazing pressure which leads to vegetation change. In the uplands peat-cutting is carried out though the depth of peat is very shallow. There is some arable farming at the south and south-east of the island but much of the former arable area has lapsed into poor pasture. The remainder appears to be wet hay meadows dominated by Purple Loosestrife, ( Lythrum salicaria) and grazed fields.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
If you would like to research further information for example on tourist attractions or activities within this area, find some useful links below:
http://www.clareisland.info/index.htm
www.met.ie (For up to date weather forecast)
Mayo Beaches
Westport Civic Offices
Altamont Street
Westport
Co. Mayo
Phone: (098) 50400
Email: westportao@mayococo.ie
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.