Clynish

Clynish, in Irish Claínis, is an inhabited, intensively farmed island in the inner part of Clew Bay, County Mayo, a short boat trip from Rosmoney near Westport. Covering about 80 acres, it is one of the few small islands in the bay still lived on and worked today.

Landscape

Clynish lies among the islands north of Rosmoney, with Collanmore to the south and Inishcottle close by, and its green fields slope gently down to the water. Clew Bay is said to have an island for every day of the year. Its inner islands are drumlins, smooth hills of glacial clay and stones left by the ice sheets of the last Ice Age and later drowned by the rising sea, the finest example of sunken drumlins in Ireland. Many have a low cliff of boulder clay on their western side, worn back by the Atlantic, and a gentler grassy slope to the east.

History

Many of the Clew Bay islands were farmed by families who rowed their cattle, sheep and supplies across to the mainland. Most were abandoned during the 20th century, but on Clynish the land is still farmed intensively, keeping alive a way of life that has disappeared from many of its neighbours.

Many of the Clew Bay islands were farmed by families who rowed their cattle, sheep and supplies across to the mainland.

Visiting

There is no public ferry to Clynish, which is privately farmed. It can be seen from boat and kayak trips in Clew Bay and from the shore around Rosmoney. You can collect Clynish as a sighting in your Island Passport.

Wildlife and area

Grey seals, harbour seals and otters are found among the islands of Clew Bay, along with grey herons and, in summer, common terns and Sandwich terns. Nearby islands include Inishcottle, Collanmore Island and Inishgort.