Islands of Ireland: White sands and colourful wildflowers on Galway's Inishmuskerry Island

It's known locally as 'Spike Island' but never housed prisoners — and why was baby Thomas O'Donnell born on this uninhabited island?

White strands of Inishmuskerry in the distance, Connemara, County Galway. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Connemara’s Inishmuskerry goes by a second name locally — Spike Island — though no prisoners were in evidence when the Irish Examiner visited recently. So it's not fair to compare it with its namesake which is known as Cork Harbour’s Alcatraz.

This 18-acre island at the mouth of Kilkieran Bay is one of several at the approach to the bay with its nearest neighbours Duck Island and Feenish Island. After the fairly barren experience of landing on the nearest landmass, Duck Island, Inishmuskerry comes as a pleasant relief. A lovely beach of golden sand provides a benign contrast for this visitor having arrived over a choppy sea.