Islands of Ireland: Grey seals make the most of the sandy inlets of Cork's Furze Island

No humans call this treeless island home nor ever did as its inhospitable nature disinclines potential dwellers

Furze Island, Dunmanus Bay, Co Cork. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Furze island is one of a few of our islands to be named after vegetation when not counting the generic tree or bush islands. Arbutus Island in the lakes of Killarney, Freaghillaun (Heather) Co. Galway, are others. Lough Ree also has a Whin Island by which furze or gorse is known in northern counties.

Furze Island is one of an archipelago of six islands in Dunmanus Bay between the Mizen and Sheep peninsulas, but lying on the Mizen side. Scurvygrass Island, Lusk Island, Cold Island, Horse Island and Carbery Island are the others in increasing size and which sound like the characters from a picaresque novel.