Islands of Ireland: This island is reputed to have treasure guarded by a serpent

Two people went searching on Sligo's Church Island and “their lifeless bodies were found the next day”

Islands of Ireland: Church Island, County Sligo is 42 acres big. On the island is a structure called the Lady's Bed which has been visited by women hoping to become pregnant

By far the largest island in Lough Gill, the 42-acre Church Island is so big that it possesses its own woodland of native species, ranking it along with its arboreal counterparts along the shores of the lough. Hazlewood to the west and Slishwood to the north, are two of the more spectacular instances of native woodlands.

Passing by the island on your kayak or on the tour boat that plies its trade from Sligo Town to Parke’s Castle, you can’t help but imagine that something or somebody lurks deep in the woods. A summer kayak trip there saw a landing on the eastern side at a small jetty with purple loosestrife and cow parsley providing a colourful welcome at the shoreline where the algal waters were very green.