Islands of Ireland: Are these West Cork islands the most remote areas in the country? 

Cleanderry Harbour on the Beara Peninsula Co Cork with Illaunbweeheen and Illaundonagha. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

The concept of remoteness is one that is much-overused in an Irish context. We live in a very small country and nowhere can be said to be really remote. If you count difficulty in accessing such places, then Tory Island in Co Donegal must count as one of our remotest places (not just islands) as it is 14km from the mainland across an inhospitable sea. Other factors to consider in qualifying remoteness are population density and service provision whether boat, bus or train.

The western end of the Beara Peninsula is possessed of some of the most beautiful villages in the country – Allihies, Eyeries and Ardgroom – where each house is more dramatically pleasing to the eye than the next. Population density is low though, and even lower in certain parts again than the villages.

There are some huge harbours along the north coast of the peninsula, not least Kilmakillogue Harbour and Ardgroom Harbour, but as you venture further west between Dog Point and Kilcatherine Point there are a couple of more lovely bays to tarry a while. Among the other interesting items of geographic interest in the area are the Cuas Pier caves where a dark cavernous portal sucks in and spits out the sea. The Pulleen Loop is a short coastal walking path taking in the caves and is well worth doing.

Further along is Cleanderry Harbour derived from ‘Sloping Wood’ which is indicative of the prevailing terrain just above the harbour and a small portion of which still remains though it once extended beyond the confines of the harbour. The wood is a special area of conservation with sessile oak and holly prominent. It is a lovely ancient woodland garlanded with ferns and moss and with a sense of mystery to it. Several specimens of the Killarney fern are also evident there.

The harbour is guarded by three small elongated islands which can be glimpsed through the native woodland on the descent to a small pier. The exit to the open sea is only about 10m wide so any vessels entering need to be extremely careful with the proximity of the rocks. If the passage were not enough to contend with, a very choppy northerly wind can make things unpleasant there.

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The harbour can boast a trio of minute islands though one is significantly larger. The clumsily named Illaunbweeheen, or Little Yellow Island, is the largest and is succeeded by Carrigfada and Illaundonagha in close proximity. The inspiration for the name behind Illaundonagha may be lost to posterity but there can have been no shortage of Donaghas in the wider area.

A lovely kayak can be made to the three islands from the boulder-strewn beach where the road ends. However, swimming in warm weather is not advised here due to the vast quantities of compass jellyfish. There is a spectacular view of the mountains on the opposite Iveragh Peninsula, particularly vivid at dusk on a clear night, where the Dunkerron Mountains create a magnificent skyline like a postmodern landscape.

The three islands have never and could never have supported human life but there are signs of sheep grazing on the larger of the three. There is not even an easy landing point to allow for exploration, the complete opposite in fact. Even at half tide, abundant quantities of seaweed surround the islands like submerged mountains of cardboard. There are no archaeological monuments there which is pretty unusual for this peninsula where hardly a kilometre goes by without a standing stone, fulacht fiadh or ringfort.

However, there is a clue to possible activity on some of the islands in the archaeological record which shows a ruin of a fish palace on the eastern side of the harbour. The fish palaces were fish processing plants that flourished in the west of Ireland in the 17th century and which were mainly engaged in the harvesting of pilchard and employed many people locally. It is possible that Illaunbweeheen, Carrigfada and Illaundonagha were put to use by the locals for any number of reasons in the preparation of the fish for sale. Future excavations may turn up something to match that hunch.

• How to get there: Take R571 west to Ardgroom and then north to Cleanderry Harbour. No ferry to trio of islands so kayak will be required.
• Other: maps.archaeology.ie; bearatourism.com