Islands of Ireland: Clare's Inishmacnaghton brings tranquility and tragedy

Inishmacnaghton, Fergus Estuary, Co Clare, which is about 2km west of Shannon Airport. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Bar the consistent boom of transatlantic jets passing overhead from Shannon Airport, which is just up the road, the rural area of Ballycalla, Co Clare, is as peaceful a place as you would fine anywhere in this country. The occasional tractor rumbles along, cows loll in the fields, and the River Fergus sweeps past to merge with the Shannon. Social life centres around St Conaire’s Church and the Honk Bar.

Inishmacnaghton is one of several spellings for this 285-acre Co Clare island, which has had numerous variations including Inchevicknaghten, Enishmcnaghten, and Inish Mhéic Neachtain. It is a flat island, exclusively farmland, and rich in alluvial soils from the river. A short causeway connects it to the mainland, but is only accessible at low tide. A solitary house stands on it today, like the little house on the prairie. However, the population was 12 in 1841.