Islands of Ireland: To school across the lough for these Sligo island kids

And 30 guests rowed over to Gildea's Island for a knees-up that went on til dawn when the island's owner got married

Islands of Ireland: Gildea's Island, County Sligo, is unpopulated but gets seasonal visitors to its historic house 

Just as Beezie’s Island in Lough Gill, County Sligo is synonymous with the larger than-life character, Beezie Gallagher, an island of similar size further south in the county is associated with a man called Gildea. And while Beezie’s Island also had two other names — Gallagher’s Island and Cottage Island — Gildea’s Island has just one more: Inishmore.

Lough Arrow or in Irish, Loch Arbhach, is famous for its brown trout and is a big draw for tourists. The lough is about 24km from Sligo Town and the vast majority is in County Sligo. A southern sliver is in County Roscommon and is about 7km from Boyle. It has surprisingly few islands, just four in total: Gildea’s Island, Annaghgowla Island, Innisbeg — and the delightfully named Muck Island. Three islets complete the picture.

The lough may not have the romance of the more mysterious Lough Gill which was immortalised by WB Yeats in 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree'. However, on a recent kayak trip there, I can indeed attest that peace came dropping slow and that noon was a purple glow.

The island is unpopulated today but one historic house has seasonal visitors. This was the former home of the eponymous Jack Gildea who was born there and lived there for more than 50 years with his family. Though largely a very pleasant locale, they encountered difficulties when winter easterlies blew through and froze the lake.

The island was part of the estate of the neoclassical Ballindoon House which overlooks the lake and which was associated with the landlord, Major RG Gethins.

Jack’s grandfather Micky, was employed on the estate and lived on the island, succeeded by his son James, and then ultimately Jack, who bought the island from Gethins in 1942. When he was recalling his early life on the island for an interview with the Western Journal in 1979, Jack remembered that for his wedding day with his bride, Mary Looby, 30 guests rowed over from Ballantyne Pier for a knees-up that went on until dawn. “We all drank plenty of Guinness and danced until daylight," he stated.

By the time their children were of schoolgoing age Jack would bring them across to the nearest pier and from there it was five minutes to the school. Dangerous roads were never a worry, so the children’s attendance was much better than that of their peers.

Lough Arrow was completely frozen on two occasions and Jack remembered as an eight-year-old boring through the ice with a shovel. The ice was 13 inches thick and stayed that way for six weeks. The second time it froze he was an adult and he said he was in fear of the ice cracking if he attempted to walk across to the mainland to get provisions. With the help of neighbouring islanders, the Littles from Innisbeg, they managed to cut a path through the ice and so get some vital supplies.

When the ice began to thaw, the effect of the River Arrow had meanwhile caused the lake level to drop so that the ice was held in suspension. Jack recalled sparks of ice shooting 20ft into the air as the natural wonder was unveiled.

And like many island farmers, he was well versed in swimming the cattle across to the mainland for the market. It took three men 10 minutes to bring two cattle with ropes around their necks about 1km across the lake. As for their own sustenance, they were pretty much self-sufficient in vegetables, milk, and bacon. And Mary could churn their own butter.

Fishing was a major pastime for Jack with the best spots for trout fishing a closely guarded secret. He said that fishing by night was a preference with the best time the half hour between dusk and pitch darkness.

And like many an islander, Jack was unable to swim, telling the reporter he had never got round to it and “in any case my father, couldn’t swim, what can you say to that?” Jack and family eventually sold the island; but like many an islander didn’t move too far, and in fact lived within sight of their former island home.

How to get there: Island in private ownership.

Other: Western Journal 23/11/1979; arrowboats.com