Inver ( Irish: ''An tInbhear'') is a

Gaeltacht A ( , , ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The districts were first officially recognised ...

village and

townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...

in northwest

County Mayo County Mayo (; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...

, Ireland. It is situated in the barony of

Erris Erris is a barony in northwestern County Mayo in Ireland consisting of over , much of which is mountainous blanket bog. It has extensive sea coasts along its west and north boundaries. The main towns are Belmullet and Bangor Erris. The name E ...

and civil parish of

Kilcommon Kilcommon () is a civil parish in Erris, north County Mayo, consisting of two large peninsulas; Dún Chaocháin and Dún Chiortáin. It consists of 37 townlands, some of which are so remote that they have no inhabitants. Habitation is conc ...

, bordering

Broadhaven Bay Broadhaven Bay () is a natural bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the northwestern coast of County Mayo, Ireland. The opening of the bay faces northward, stretching 8.6 km between Erris Head in the west and Kid Island/Oileán Mionnán in the eas ...

. Inver townland has an area of approximately 671.6 acres (2.7 km²) and, as of 2011, had a population of 114 people. In an 1812 map by William Bald the houses in this townland were located along a river, on the coast of

. The townland was once divided, and presently homes are found in areas such as Caoldubh.

History

Early history

Archaeological evidence indicates that this townland was inhabited during prehistoric times. In 1835, Samuel Lewis described it as having a " druidical altar".

Inver Castle

The

Record of Monuments and Places The Record of Monuments and Places (RMP; ) is a list of historical and archaeological sites the Republic of Ireland established under the National Monuments Acts. It can be consulted in county libraries and local authority offices and online and ...

records a castle in Inver. The castle, which later fell into disrepair, was a possession of the Clan Barrett. By 1655, the Cormucks, a family from

Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...

, gained the castle after the Barretts had revolted. In 1680, it was acquired by Sir James Shaen. A survey, conducted in 1802 noted Inver castle as once 'the principal castle in all

.' The Congested Districts Board purchased the townland and the castle ruins around 1920, distributing it among tenants.

Spanish Armada

In 1588, the "Santiago," a ship of the

Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (often known as Invincible Armada, or the Enterprise of England, ) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by Alonso de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aristocrat without previous naval ...

wrecked off the coast of Inver. The ship was carrying eighteen men and an Irish bishop. The crew abandoned the Santiago and joined another Spanish ship, which was later wrecked off the coast off Donegal. Spanish vessels frequently used

as a harbour, exchanging goods for information to ensure safe travels further north. In 1626, Dutch diver Jacob Johnsen was hired by the

British Admiralty The Admiralty was a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of the Government of the United Kingdom that was responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. Historically, its titular head was the Lord High Admiral of the ...

to salvage guns from Armada wrecks in Ireland, he faced hostility from Michael Cormuck of Inver Castle and suspected him of hiding the guns as part of a conspiracy. Johnsen initiated legal action, and by 1649, the case was dismissed after writing to cease proceedings.

Shipwrecks

In 1839 the "John and Marion Crystal," was driven onto the rocks at Inver by a storm, with five crewmen killed. The ship was plundered by locals. In the winter of 1893, the "River Nithe," similarly was wrecked on the coast. Several other wrecks have been documented.

Later history

During the Public Works for distress in 1846, the road from Barnatra to Inver and from Inver to Graughill was constructed, later a landing slip was built. A fishing station for curing and smoking fish was established in the early 20th century.

Religion

Saint Patrick's Church, completed in 1936, is the local Catholic church and is one of five churches within Kilcommon Erris parish in the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Killala The Diocese of Killala () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Connacht; the western province of Ireland. It is in the Metropolitan Province of Tuam and is subject to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tuam. As of 2024, the seat of th ...

. The church contains a jewel-like

stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

window attributable to Earley Studios Limited in Dublin.

Amenities

A former

vocational school A vocational school (alternatively known as a trade school, or technical school), is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary education#List of tech ed skills, secondary or post-secondar ...

, built in 1958, is now used as a community centre. A cemetery opened in 1969.

Notable people

In 1648 the oracle

Brian Rua U'Cearbhain Brian Rua (c.1648–?) was 17th century "prophet" or Oracle from Erris in County Mayo, Ireland. Papers relating to the life and the prophecies of Brian Rua, known collectively as "''Tarngaireacht Bhriain Ruaidh''" were destroyed, apparently by h ...

was born in Inver in Falrua.

References

{{County Mayo Towns and villages in County Mayo Erris History of County Mayo Gaeltacht places in County Mayo Populated coastal places in the Republic of Ireland