Islands of Ireland: Kerry's muddy Derrymore is very valuable on a global scale

Derrymore Island is a haven for migrating birds and acts as a natural carbon sink. Coastal wetlands outperform even tropical forests for carbon capture

Islands of Ireland: Derrymore Island, Tralee Bay, Co Kerry. Picture: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery

At first, it seems a fairly inconsequential sight: an extensive island defined by its flatness more than anything else. This is Derrymore Island, just west of Tralee in County Kerry. There are better-known islands in the vicinity of Tralee Bay — most notably Samphire Island Little with its beautiful lighthouse, and Fenit Island with its fabulous walks.

On the road west past Blennerville, Derrymore Island, about 1.5km in length, barely merits a look, so unappealing does it seem at first glance. It lies well below the main road adjacent to the eponymous townland. ‘Derrymore’ translates as ‘Big Oak Wood’ and evokes an era of plentiful native woodland thronged with birdlife. Now just a few patches of the mighty wood remain.