There is no better way to decompress and unwind than sailing out to one of the many beautiful islands that surround Ireland.
Ireland is surrounded by over 80 beautiful and wild islands of all sizes. They are, however, often packed with tourists and day-trippers, especially during the summer months.
Below you’ll find five islands off the well-worn tourist path that you can enjoy in peace without the throngs of sightseers.
5. Clare Island, County Mayo – small, yet perfectly formed
If you really want to get away from it all, head to Clare Island, just off the coast of Mayo. Although it’s tiny, measuring a mere 8 km by 5 km (5 miles by 3.1 miles), it feels like paradise on a sunny day.
There are a number of walks to enjoy, including a loop of the whole island which takes around 6 hours. Along the way keep an eye out for some rare birds that nest in the area, including barnacle geese, peregrines, fulmars and choughs.
Down by the harbour there is a beautiful Blue Flag beach perfect for a swim, with glorious views of the mainland. The island is also notable for being the stronghold of Grace O’Malley.
Down by the southern shore there is a thirteenth-century Cistercian abbey with a gothic tomb which is said to hold the remains of the pirate queen herself.
4. Inisbofin, County Galway – an island at the end of the world
The daily ferry from Cleggan village on the west coast of Galway will bring you across choppy waters to the small island of Inisbofin. Like a microcosm of Connemara, it is a wild, rugged and utterly charming place with some jaw-dropping Atlantic views.
Although the island can get busy in the summer months, if you visit any time in the off-peak season it can feel wonderfully isolated. For day trips, you should pack a picnic, walk (or cycle) to the Westquarter and eat al fresco, overlooking sea-arches and sheer cliffs.
In fact, if you really wanted to plan ahead you could call into Little Fish restaurant in Cleggan before you board the ferry for an exceptional fresh-seafood lunch.
If you decide to spend the night on the island, the Dolphin Hotel is comfortable and incredibly welcoming, and there’s sure to be live music in one of the local pubs.
3. Rathlin Island, County Antrim – an Irish island with a view of Scotland
A wind and sea-battered island just 21km west of the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland, Rathlin Island has a remarkably bloody history.
The first place in Ireland to be raided by the Vikings in 795AD, it was also the site of two horrific massacres. In 1575 the English, under the Earl of Essex, butchered the entire population.
Less than a hundred years later the Campbells of Scotland attacked and killed everyone again, leaving the island deserted.
These days it is best-known as a sanctuary for all kinds of seabirds, including Puffins, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Fulmars.
Visit during the winter months to experience the island at its most primal, and maybe you’ll even get lucky and see the Northern Lights illuminate the night sky.
2. Great Blasket, Co. Kerry – remnants of our past
The Blasket Islands are both a poignant reminder of how quickly times change, and a remarkable window into Ireland’s past.
Located just 1 km (0.6 miles) off the coast of Kerry, Great Blasket is now entirely uninhabited, with the last remaining islanders moving to the mainland in 1953.
Up until that time, people lived here for hundreds of years in an isolated culture steeped in the Irish language and an ancient storytelling tradition.
Before taking a ferry to the island, a visit to the Blasket Centre is a must.
A heritage and cultural museum at the halfway point on the Slea Head Drive, it celebrates traditional island life and commemorates the community who once lived here.
1. Owey Island, County Donegal – a wild, Atlantic way of life
If you’ve got a hankering for life off the grid, a few nights on Owey Island will sort you out. Accessed by boat from Cruit Island, which in turn is connected to the Donegal mainland by a short bridge, there is no electricity or running water.
You can either camp by the pier or stay in the Owey Island Cottage Hostel, but either way you’ll have to plan ahead and bring plenty of food, water, and a battery pack to charge your phone (if you want to remain in contact with the real world).
The island is surrounded by caves and beautiful, angular sea-stacks, attracting adrenaline-seeking rock climbers and spelunkers.
Although there have been no full-time residents on Owey since the 1970’s, people are starting to drift back seasonally, offering visitors a glimpse into a more peaceful, connected-to-nature kind of lifestyle.
