The Magharee Islands ( gle, Na Machairí), also known as "The Seven Hogs", are a group of uninhabited islands located off Rough Point at the northern tip of the Magharee Peninsula in

County Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...

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 ...

. The islands, which are part of the parish of

Castlegregory Castlegregory (, meaning "Griaire's Castle") is a village in County Kerry, Ireland. It is situated on the north side of the Dingle Peninsula, halfway between Tralee and Dingle. As of the 2016 Census, Castlegregory had a population of 250. Castl ...

, are well known as excellent diving and snorkelling destinations. The Magharees Sound separates the Seven Hogs from the mainland. A monastic site comprising beehive huts and the ruins of an old church are located on Illauntannig. Scraggane Pier is the nearest landing point on the mainland. The islands' names are: * Gurrig Island – ''Gorach'' * Illaunboe – ''Oileán Bó'' * Illaunimmil – ''Oileán Imill'' * Illauntannig – ''Oileán tSeanaigh'' (this is the largest of the islands) * Illaunturlogh – ''Oileán Traolaigh'' * Inishtooskert – ''Inis Tuaisceart'' * Mucklaghbeg Island – ''An Mhuclach Bheag'' The islands were inhabited until the early 1980s but now serve only as summer grazing for the livestock of several local farmers. Up until recently, many farmers would swim their cattle and sheep across to the islands at low tide, rowing alongside them inside Currachs or other small boats. If an animal got into difficulty it was hauled aboard or tied to a boat, or simply left to drown. Nowadays, a modified cage with several flotation devices attached to it, is pulled behind a boat and the crossing is much less taxing on the animals and their owners. A farmhouse on Illauntannig (the only dwelling on the island) can be rented out on a weekly basis April - September.

Illauntannig

References

Islands of County Kerry Uninhabited islands of Ireland {{Kerry-geo-stub