Islands of Ireland: Heading towards Coney Island in Cork

Coney derives from Irish origins probably from coinín or rabbit — there are Coney Islands in Counties Clare and Down as well as in New York

Coney Island, Roaringwater Bay, Cork. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

This name was made famous by Van Morrison in his eponymous 1989 song: “And all the time going to Coney Island I'm thinking, Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time”.

Van’s island is, of course, in County Down, but this is a tiny one in County Cork totalling a mere six acres. However, in the eye of this beholder it is no less beautiful. For such a tiny island its three sandy beaches would put much larger islands to shame distributed as they are at three points of the compass. Bundles of purple heather tumble across its hillocks. Up above, Mount Gabriel with its meteorological stations, stands aloof. Perhaps Van may pen a ‘Coney Island II’.