Church Island (Lough Gill)

Church Island (Irish: Inis Mór, "big island") is an island in Lough Gill, Ireland.[2][3]

Church Island
Native name:
Inis Mór
Sunset at Church Island
Church Island is located in island of Ireland
Church Island
Church Island
Geography
LocationLough Gill
Coordinates54.251791°N 8.390983°W / 54.251791; -8.390983
Area0.17 km2 (0.066 sq mi)
Administration
Ireland
ProvinceConnacht
CountySligo
Demographics
Population0
Church on Church Island
Official nameChurch Island
Reference no.118[1]

The island

Church Island (official title, Inis Mór) is an island of 16.8 ha (42 acres) in the centre of Lough Gill.

It is believed by locals that this island is the one referred to in Yeats poem, The Lake Isle of Inishfree, as the actual Inishfree island is too small to be inhabited and does not line up with his description. Former staff members of the nearby Clogherevagh House back up this story by recalling Yeats visits to the house and frequent trips to Church Island.[4]

Church

The church is said to have been founded by Lommán of Trim. The church on Church Island is National Monument #118.

It is an early Christian ruin and belonged to the Ó Ruairc, rulers of Bréifne. The building is oblong, has loophole windows and a recess at one end. Near the door there is a cavity in a rock, known as ‘lady's bed’, which was a frequent place of pilgrimage for pregnant woman.[5] In 1416, according to the Annals, ‘The church of Inis Mor, in Lough Gill, was burned; and Screaptra ui Chuirnin [O'Curnin's manuscripts], and the Leabhar Gearr of the O'Cuirnins, as well as many other precious articles, were burned also.’[6]

References
  1. "National Monuments of County Sligo in State Care" (PDF). heritageireland.ie. National Monument Service. p. 1. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  2. "Holdings: Church Island, or Inismore, Lough Gill, County..." Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  3. "Church island (inismore), County Sligo".
  4. "Church Island - Yeats' beloved Lake Isle of Innisfree ? - Independent.ie". Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  5. "Castle View - B&B and SelfCatering Leitrim". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  6. "Part 5 of Annals of the Four Masters". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.


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