Islands of Ireland: Skull Island — a better name for this Cork island featuring a ruined mortuary chapel and graveyard?

The graveyard could be pre-Christian in origin and later it may have had Spanish and English sailors buried here — locals said that on occasion erosion caused the skulls to come tumbling out of the side of the graveyard

Low Island, County Cork with the entry to Castlehaven Bay in the background and High Island in the foreground. Picture: Dan MacCarthy for outdoors

There are a number of islands off the historic village of Castletownshend in West Cork and all but one of which have appeared here. The exception is the undramatically named Low Island which surprise, surprise, has High Island as a companion.

The two islands are frequented by grey seals and occasionally a huge bull seal announces himself with an intense gaze and presence. With trepidation, the nervous kayaker moves on. At up to 300kg and a 2metre body length this is a potential encounter best avoided.