Islands of Ireland: Bushy Island — a wealth of dykes and mudflats and butterflies

But as with several of the Shannon islands Bushy Island is synonymous with a maritime tragedy

Bushy Island, County Limerick. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

This island is one of a handful on the southern banks of the Shannon Estuary in County Limerick. Around the port of Foynes there are a couple, easy to miss as giant tankers glide past. Foynes Island was once home to Conor O’Brien who sailed single-handedly around the world 101 years ago. Further up the estuary towards Limerick are a few others including Greenish Island and White Island. Waller’s Island appeared here recently, so named for Hardress Waller MP who signed the death warrant for Charles I in 1649. A little further on was Pigott’s Island, unfortunately swallowed up by the mainland now.

Waller Island’s next-door neighbour is Bushy Island, and like Waller, is a heavily vegetated island though about half its size. The only activity on a recent trip there was what looked to this inexpert eye, a group of meadow brown butterflies guzzling nectar from a dandelion. Upon alighting on Bushy Island a rocky platform which occupies half the island is at once noticeable. The second, inner, half is the one that is overgrown. An aerial image on Google Maps shows this feature in stark relief as if a huge river flood just washed away half the island.