Scattery Island

Inis Cathaigh sits in the Shannon estuary off Kilrush, and Senan founded a monastery on it in the sixth century. Its round tower is about twenty-six metres and is unusual in having its doorway at ground level rather than several metres up - which either means it was built before the raised-door convention or that the ground has risen; either way it is one of very few in Ireland you can look straight into. There are six church sites on the island, a holy well, and the remains of a village with a street of houses, a lighthouse and an artillery battery from the Napoleonic period. Vikings used it as a base in the tenth century. The last permanent residents left in 1978, and their descendants still return. Boats run from Kilrush Marina in season only, the landing is at a small pier, and there is nothing on the island - no shop, no shelter, no water.

What you actually see

• The round tower - about twenty-six metres, with a ground-level doorway.
• The church sites - six of them across the island, from different periods.
• The deserted village - houses left when the last families went in 1978.
• The battery and lighthouse - Napoleonic-era defences on the estuary.

When to go

May to September; boats run in season only and cancel in swell. Guided walks are offered by the heritage service in summer. Allow half a day including the crossing.

Honest expectations

No facilities of any kind on the island - bring water and food. Boats are seasonal and weather-dependent. The ground is rough and the ruins unfenced. There is no shelter if the weather turns.

Nearby

Kilrush and its marina are the departure point; Loop Head is west.