Walk of the Week: A journey around Sherkin Island

WE set off up the steep road from the pier, past the ruined friary.

A Franciscan house founded by the O’Driscolls in about 1460, it was burnt in 1537 by Waterford raiders, smarting from the expropriation of 18,000 gallons of wine by Fineen ‘The Rover’ O’Driscoll from a ship that sheltered in Baltimore harbour earlier that year.

They ‘invaded’ Sherkin and spent five days ravaging the island, burning the villages, abbey and castle, and scuttling or seizing the O’Driscoll fleet.