Islands of Ireland: Inishlacken is so beautiful it will take your breath away

You can complete a full circle of the island by walking lovely old boreens and along the shoreline

Islands of Ireland: Inishlacken, County Galway. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Inishlacken is one of those truly exceptional places that just takes your breath away. Sherkin Island, County Cork and Inishbofin in Galway are also in this category of truly magical places. To stand on the small ridge overlooking the pure-white beach offset by the turquoise waters of Gurteen Bay and the distant Twelve Bens and Maumturk mountains is to feel your insignificance on this planet. A beautiful walk along old boreens and along the shoreline can be made from the beach to complete a full circle of the island.

The island is uninhabited now save for a few holiday homes occupied in the summer. There are, at a guess, about two dozen roofless ruins of finely built houses whose occupants have long gone. The population of the 129-acre island peaked at 126 people in 1841, before declining over the years.