Islands of Ireland: Sovereign state of affairs

Big Sovereign island, Oysterhaven, Co Cork. Picture: Dan MacCarthy

There is an old anchor at Oysterhaven Pier, Co Cork, that tells the story of dangerous rocks and warns seafarers to take due care on their approach. The rocks are the Sovereign Islands and the origin of the anchor was the Dutch ship the Nellie which foundered there in the 1960s without loss of life.

The Irish name (also Oileáin an tSabhrain) derives from Magairlí na tSoibhréin, meaning ‘testicles’, or ‘crown jewels of the mayor’s’, as the islands were the possessions for the term of each succeeding mayor (provost), or sovereign, of Kinsale. The main two islands lie about 1km from the pier, with Newfoundland Bay to the east and Kinsale Harbour to the west. The bifurcated mouth of the harbour leads north to Oysterhaven and northwest to Belgooly and the River Stick along a glorious tree-lined passage.