The Islands of Ireland: Monastic, musical and magical Church Island

Our coastal islands possess fascinating stories but the almost countless islands on Irish lakes have their fair share of stories too: an abandoned hippy colony on Roeillaun in Lough Corrib Co Galway; a round tower sacked by the Vikings on Devenish Island, Co Fermanagh. 

So too, Church Island on Lough Currane in Co Kerry which is a very important site of ecclesiastical learning. Bounded to the south by Cahernageeha Mountain and the west by Ballinskelligs Bay, the lake exists between sky and sea and has something of the character of both.

The lake is very popular with anglers, domestic and international, and several ghillies in the lake’s environs can be hired to guide a day’s fishing. It is regarded as one of the best in the country for salmon and sea trout. In the summer there is a trickle of visitors to the island which offers a timeless escape from the travails of life and a really beautiful spot for a picnic.