Islands of Ireland: Nature endures — even on this storm-battered Galway island

Splashes of vivid orange lichen on the rocks contrast with the deep green and white of the seething sea

The wreck of the St Oliver on Duck Island, County Galway. The boat sank in 2004 with the loss of four lives. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Apart from the shrill cries of oystercatchers, the standout feature on this extremely flat and treeless island is the wreck of a fishing boat. Stuck fast above the tideline it is a macabre memorial to the fishing tragedy that befell the community of Connemara in 2004. The wreck of the St Oliver is a reminder of the mercilessness of the sea.

Duck Island lies between the formerly populated islands of Mason and Feenish and adjacent to the always uninhabited Inishmuskerry.