Islands of Ireland: Mudbanks, nettles, and a plane crash — Graigue Island in Shannon Estuary

One-acre Graigue Island in the Shannon Estuary has been suggested as a point for construction of a tidal barrier to protect Limerick City from the effects of global warming, such as is sorely needed in Cork Harbour also

Graigue Island, Shannon Estuary, County Clare. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

The proximity of the Shannon Estuary and the Fergus Estuary to Shannon Airport has meant any plane that found itself in difficulty might end up crashing into either of the estuaries. This has occurred at least three times over the years. And with dozens of islands in each of the estuaries the chances were that the crashes would land on or near some of those islands.

The biggest crash involved a TWA flight en route from Paris to New York via Shannon which crashed at Inishmacnaghton in 1946 with the loss of 13 lives.