Inishmaan ( ; ga, Inis Meáin , the official name, formerly spelled , meaning "middle island") is the middle of the three main
Aran Islands in
Galway Bay, off the west coast of
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 is part of
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 = ...
in the province of
Connacht
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
. Inishmaan has a population of about 183 (census 2016), 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
Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was th ...
and part of the
Gaeltacht
( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home.
The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially recog ...
, though all inhabitants have knowledge of English.
Geology and geography
The island is an extension of
The Burren. The terrain of the island is composed of
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as "grykes", leaving isolated rocks called "clints". The limestones date from the
Visean period (Lower Carboniferous), formed as sediments in a tropical sea about 350 million years ago, and compressed into horizontal strata with fossil
coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
s,
crinoids,
sea urchin
Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) of ...
s, and
ammonites
Ammonoids are a group of extinct marine mollusc animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. These molluscs, commonly referred to as ammonites, are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e., octopuses, squid and cuttlefish) ...
.
Glaciation following the
Namurian phase facilitated greater denudation. The result is that Inishmaan is one of the finest examples of a Glacio-
karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
landscape in the world. The effects of the
last glacial period (the Midlandian) are most in evidence, with the island overrun by ice during this glaciation. The impact of earlier
karstification
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
(solutional erosion) has been eliminated by the last glacial period. So any karstification now seen dates from around 10,000 years ago, so the island karst is recent.
Solutional processes have widened and deepened the grykes of the limestone pavement. Pre-existing lines of weakness in the rock (vertical joints) contribute to the formation of extensive fissures separated by clints (flat, pavement-like slabs). The rock karstification facilitates the formation of subterranean drainage.
Climate and agriculture
The island has an unusually temperate climate. Average air temperatures range from in July to in January. The soil temperature does not usually drop below 6 °C (although the end of 2010 recorded a prolonged period of snow, the first in living memory). Since grass will grow once the temperature rises above 6 °C, the island (like the neighbouring Burren) has one of the longest growing seasons in Ireland or Britain, and supports diverse and rich plant growth.
Late May is the sunniest time, and also likely the best time to view flowers, with the gentians and avens peaking (but orchid species blooming later).
Flora and fauna
The island supports
arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
,
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
, and
alpine
Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to:
Places Europe
* Alps, a European mountain range
** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range
Australia
* Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village
* Alpine National Pa ...
plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment. Like the Burren, the Aran Islands are renowned for their remarkable assemblage of plants and animals.
The grykes (crevices) provide moist shelter, thus supporting a wide range of plants, including dwarf shrubs. Where the surface of the pavement is shattered into gravel, many of the hardier arctic or alpine plants can be found, but when the limestone pavement is covered by a thin layer of soil, patches of grass are seen, interspersed with plants such as gentians and orchids.
Notable insects present include the butterfly the
pearl-bordered fritillary (''Boloria euphrosyne''),
brown hairstreak
The brown hairstreak (''Thecla betulae'') is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The range includes most of the Palaearctic.
Description
The following description of this butterfly was written by Adalbert Seitz in 1909:
''Z. betulae'' L. B ...
(''Thecla betulae''),
marsh fritillary (''Euphydryas aurinia'') and
wood white (''Leptidea sinapis''); the moths, the
burren green (''Calamia tridens''),
Irish annulet (''Gnophos dumetata'') and
transparent burnet (''Zygaena purpuralis''); and the hoverfly ''
Doros profuges''.
Landmarks
Archaeological sites
Eight sites on Inishmaan are designated as
National Monuments
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
(NM #42):
*
Doonbeg Ringfort
*
Carrownlisheen Wedge Tomb (Diarmuid and Gráinne's Bed)
*
Templesaghtmacree, a church
*
Carrownlisheen Cross
*
Labbanakinneriga, a church
*
Dún Fearbhaí, a cashel (stone ringfort)
*
Kilcoonagh Church
*
Dún Conor (Dún Conchuir)
Synge's Cottage and Chair
![Teach Synge Inishmaan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Teach_Synge_Inishmaan.JPG)
''Teach Synge'' is the house where
John Millington Synge
Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, collector of folklore, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His best known play ''The Playboy of the Western World'' was poorly r ...
stayed on the island every summer from 1898 to 1902, where he was hosted by Bríd and Páidín Mac Donnchadha. It was here he is said to have got inspiration for his plays ''
The Playboy of the Western World'', ''
Riders to the Sea'', and many of his other works from stories he heard while on Inishmaann. The house he stayed in, Teach Synge, was inhabited by descendants of the Mac Donnchadha family until the 1970s, when it began to fall into disrepair. It has been restored to its original condition, and has been open to the public since August 1999.
''Cathaoir Synge'' (Synge's Chair) was the writer's favourite place on the island, overlooking Inis Mór and the Atlantic.
Demographics
The table below reports data on Inishmaan's population taken from ''Discover the Islands of Ireland'' (Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and the
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of Ireland. Census data in Ireland before 1841 are not considered complete and/or reliable.
Infrastructure
The island is connected to the
national grid via a submarine cable as well as having wind turbines with an installed capacity of 675 kW.
A
desalination
Desalination is a process that takes away mineral components from saline water. More generally, desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from a target substance, as in Soil salinity control, soil desalination, which is an issue f ...
plant provides water for the residents, but water shortages are still a common occurrence.
Inishmaan also has a wind farm which runs its desalination plant and fuels the electric car.
Inishmaan has a new jetty ("Caladh Mor") since 2007. It also has an airstrip connecting it to the mainland.
Education
There is a primary school on the island, Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Meáin.
There is also a secondary school, Colaiste Naomh Eoin. Coláiste Naomh Eoin was opened on 1 September 2003 under the auspices of Coláiste Colmchille (Inverin) and the County Galway Vocational Education Committee. It caters for the entire second level educational needs of the Aran islands. Senior Cycle was first introduced in 2006. The school is housed in a building on hire from the local co-operative. Four school classrooms and the school office are located there. The new science laboratory was renovated in 2008. A woodwork, technical graphics and construction studies workshop was added to the infrastructure over 2008/2010. The school also has use of the local football pitch, in addition to a lined basketball court. The students of Coláiste Naomh Eoin wear a red V neck jumper with a grey polo neck with the crest of the school imprinted on them. Both male and female students wear black trousers with black shoes or runners.
Public library
There is a public library on the island. It holds a diverse and quality collection of adult and children's books. It is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm and on Saturdays from 11.00am to 1.00pm. The library provides a reference and local studies collection with information on the heritage and history of the island. There is also free internet access.
Sport
Some of the limestone sea cliffs have attracted interest from
rock-climbers.
Diving is popular.
Inishmaan is home to the game Cead. This is a traditional sport unique to the island. Cead means "permission" in Irish. Cead is only allowed to be played once a year, on Saint Patrick's Day. Only men can partake in the competitive aspect of the sport. There is an annual 5 km/10km12km race each March known as the 'Inis Iron Meáin Race' organised by Colaiste Noamh Eoin, the island secondary school.
In popular culture
The island is the setting for the 1996 play ''
The Cripple of Inishmaan'' by
Martin McDonagh
Martin Faranan McDonagh (; born 26 March 1970) is a British-Irish playwright, screenwriter, producer, and director. Born and brought up in London, he is the son of Irish parents. He is known as one of the most acclaimed modern playwrights whose ...
.
See also
*
Aran Islands
*
Galway Bay
*
Inishmeane
Inishmeane () is a small island and a townland off the coast of Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland and was once home to a vibrant fishing community. The island has been unpopulated for decades but in recent years some people have started to retur ...
(
County Donegal
County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...
)
References
External links
Official Guide to the Aran IslandsAer Arann Islands
Gallery
File:Dun Chonchuir.jpg, Inside Dún Chonchúir (Conor's fort), Inishmaan
File:InisMeainChurch.jpg, Church of Our Lady and St. John
File:Inismeain airport.JPG, Inishmaan airport
File:Inis Meain 2.JPG, Inishmaan Landscape
File:Inis Meain 3.JPG, Inishmaan Coastline
File:Wild garlics at Inis Meáin.jpg, Wild garlic Plant species in the genus ''Allium'' known as wild garlic include the following:
*''Allium canadense'', wild onion
*'' Allium carinatum'', keeled garlic
*'' Allium drummondii'', Drummond's onion
*''Allium ochotense'', Siberian onion
*'' Allium ole ...
at Inishmaan
Further reading
* Coley, Patricia, and J. M. Armer. ''Inis Meáin''. London: Queen Mary College Univ, 1959.
* Quilkin, Rennie Mc. 1999. "Inis Meáin". ''Poetry''. 174, no. 5: 277.
* Synge, J. M. 1903. "A Dream on Inis Meáin". ''Green Sheaf''. no. 2: 8-9.
* Synge, J. M. ''A Story from Inis Meáin''. Dublin: New Ireland Review, 1898.
{{Authority control
Aran Islands
Gaeltacht places in County Galway
Gaeltacht towns and villages