Boldly going to Garinish West

Garinish West, Zetland Pier, Co Cork. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

A discreet island, tucked away off the beaten track in West Cork, has a deep link to the complexities of the cosmos. Lying at the mouth of Coolieragh Harbour, which is itself around the corner from Glengarriff Harbour, Garinish West is very close to shore, as its name suggests. The other three Garinish islands are also very close to shore ('Gar Inish', or 'near island', in Irish).

This Garinish is in, arguably, a more magnificent setting than its more illustrious neighbour. Lying flatly beneath the imposing presence of Sugarloaf Mountain, and looking to its neighbour, Sheelane Island, and across to the townless Sheep's Head, it is a place where sky, water, and air mix so plentifully that sensory overload can be expected.