Saltee Islands

The Saltees lie about five kilometres off the Wexford coast and are among the most important seabird sites in Ireland. Great Saltee holds tens of thousands of birds through the breeding season: a large gannet colony on the southern cliffs, plus guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars, shags and puffins, all of them approachable to a degree that surprises people used to distant cliff-watching. Both islands are privately owned. Michael Neale bought them in 1943, declared himself Prince Michael the First of the Saltees, and built a stone throne and an obelisk on Great Saltee; the family still owns them and permits daytime landing on Great Saltee at the owners' discretion. There are no facilities of any kind - no toilet, water, shelter or path - and the landing is onto rocks from a small boat, which cancels in swell. Camping and overnight stays are not permitted.

History

The name comes from the Old Norse of the Ostmen, the Danish Vikings who settled in the baronies of Forth and Bargy in the 9th and 10th centuries, and means "salt islands". The islands, Great Saltee of 89 ha and Little Saltee of 37 ha, have been largely unoccupied since the early 20th century and have belonged to the Neale family since 1943 (Wikipedia, Saltee Islands).

Highlights

• The gannet colony - on the southern cliffs of Great Saltee.
• The auks - guillemots, razorbills and puffins at close range.
• The prince's throne - Michael Neale's stone monuments from the 1940s.
• The two islands - Great and Little Saltee, only the first open to landing.

When to go

May to July, when the birds are on the cliffs; most have left by early August. Boats run from Kilmore Quay in season and cancel in swell.

Practical notes

Private property - landing is by the owners' permission, daytime only, no camping. No facilities at all: bring water, food and everything else. Landing is onto rock from a small boat. Cancellations are common.

Nearby

Kilmore Quay is the departure point; Hook Head is west across the bay.

Key facts