Dalkey Island

Located 300 metres offshore from Dalkey is a small island comprising of 9 hectares (22 acres). There is evidence that it was inhabited in the 4th millennium BC (6000 years ago) and was also used as a Viking base. There are the ruins of another church, dating from the 7th century, named after St Begnet. This was altered on the east side when builders used it as living quarters while building the nearby Martello tower and gun battery in 1804. An older wooden church was probably here before the present stone one was built. A promontory fort was located at the northern end of the Island, it’s presence still visible today in the form of a ditch. A herd of goats, originally put there in the early 1800’s, remains there today but they are replacements of the original goats which were removed. Rabbits are predominant here so be careful. You can take a boat to the island in the summer months, just ask one of the local fishermen at Coliemore or Bulloch Harbour. The island is also an ideal spot for fishing as I discovered last year. Try the southern tip, below the battery, on the rocks. Although it’s a small island there is a lot to see so don’t rush. Why not eat a packed lunch while watching the seals in the shallow water?