Holy Island

Holy Island, known in Irish as Inis Cealtra, lies off the western shore of Lough Derg in County Clare. Uninhabited today, the island is one of Ireland’s most significant early monastic sites and has drawn pilgrims and visitors for well over a thousand years. It is reached by boat across the lake, with seasonal trips running from Mountshannon Harbour on the Clare shore.

A monastery was founded here around 520 AD by St Colum, and the settlement is also strongly associated with St Caimin, who established a community on the island in the seventh century. The monastic remains are among the finest of their kind, including a round tower, the ruins of several small churches, high crosses, cross-inscribed stones and a holy well. The island suffered Viking raids in the ninth and tenth centuries but the community rebuilt after each attack.

Later, Holy Island became one of Ireland’s foremost places of pilgrimage, a tradition that continued for centuries. Among the surviving features are early grave slabs and inscribed stones, and the island’s cemetery remains in use, with coffins and mourners still carried across the water by boat.

As well as its heritage, the island and the surrounding waters of Lough Derg are valued for their wildlife, and the crossing offers fine views over one of the country’s largest lakes. Boat trips and guided tours generally operate during the spring and summer months.