Ardoileán or Ard Oileán, known in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

as High Island (a translation of the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

name), is a small island off the northwest coast of

Connemara Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speak ...

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It was once the site of an early Irish monastic community.

Hermitage

It is one of thirty-odd islands off the west coast of Ireland, between

Inishtrahull Inishtrahull ( ga, Inis Trá Tholl, possibly "island of the empty beach" or "island of the yonder beach") is the most northerly island of Ireland. It has an area of and lies about northeast of Malin Head, County Donegal. The most northerly ...

and Clear Island, which were settled by hermits and monastic communities in the early Christian period.Herity, "The hermitage on Ardoileán, Co Galway", p. 65. Other such islands in the direct vicinity of Ardoiléan include

Clare Island Clare Island ( or ''Oileán Chliara''), also historically Inishcleer, is a mountainous island guarding the entrance to Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland. Historically part of the kingdom of Umhaill, it is famous as the home of the 15th century pi ...

Chapel Island Chapel Island is a limestone outcrop that lies in the Leven estuary of Morecambe Bay in England, less than from the shoreline at Bardsea in the area known as Ulverston Sands. It is located at ( OS grid ref. SD 321759). It is one of the Islan ...

Caher Island Caher Island (''Cathair na Naomh'' in Irish), an uninhabited island off the coast of County Mayo in Ireland, is situated between the larger Clare Island and Inishturk. Etymology ''Cathair na Naomh'' in Irish means the ''City of the Saints''. ...

Inishturk Inishturk (''Inis Toirc'' in Irish, meaning ''Wild Boar Island'') is an inhabited island of County Mayo, in Ireland. Geography The island lies about off the coast; its highest point reaches above sea level. Between Inisturk and Clare Islan ...

, Inishbofin and

Inishark Inishark or Inishshark (), sometimes called Shark Island, is a small island neighbouring the larger Inishbofin, Galway, Inishbofin in County Galway, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Overview The island is now uninhabited; the last 23 inhabitants ...

. Since (at least) the seventh century, Ardoiléan had been the site of an early monastery or hermitage, reputedly founded by St

Féchín of Fore Saint Féchín or Féichín (died 665), also known as Mo-Ecca, was a 7th-century Irish saint, chiefly remembered as the founder of the monastery at Fore (''Fobar''), County Westmeath. Sources for his life and legend include Irish annals, marty ...

(d. 665). Above the south landing-place, near the remains of the monastery, there is a Christian cross-slab dating perhaps to the seventh century.

Modern history

Between 1969 and 1998, the island was in the possession of Irish poet Richard Murphy, then a resident of Inishbofin. In personal memoirs published by Granta in ''The Kick'' (2002), Murphy remembers the opportunity when the previous owner considered selling the island: "I got excited at the thought of buying this inaccessible holy island, restoring the beehive cells and oratory of its derelict hermitage and preserving the place from destruction either by tourists or by sheep." In February 2019, the island was put up for sale for €1.25 million by Spencer Auctioneers.

Notes

Secondary sources

*Herity, Michael. "The Hermitage on Ardoileán, Co Galway." ''Journal of the

Royal Society of the Antiquaries of Ireland Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a c ...

'' 120 (1990). pp. 65–101. *Macalister, R.A.S. "The Antiquities of Ard Oilean, Co. Galway." ''Journal of the Royal Society of the Antiquaries of Ireland'' 26 (1896). pp. 196–210.

External links

*Gabriel Cooney
"High Island, high ideals", in ''Irish Times'' (31 March 2001)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ardoilean Islands of County Galway Uninhabited islands of Ireland Archaeological sites in County Galway

Hermitage

Modern history

See also

Notes

Secondary sources

Further reading

Poetry

External links