Heritage

You can follow Inishbofin's history chronologically or use the following menu to see a specific period (left column). You can also go to the webpages devoted to the main buildings of the island's heritage (right column). Don't forget to read the death of Inishark (article from the Daily Mirror of 1960).

The offshore islands of Inishbofin (Inis Bó Finne), Inishlyon (Inis Laigleán) and Inishark (Inis Áirc) lie roughly 8 km of the Northwest Connemara coast. Of the three, Inishbofin is the largest measuring approximately 5.5 km long by 3 km wide. It is also the only one inhabited today. The islands are strategically located midway along Ireland's western sea routes.

The origins of the island's initial colonisation are still obscure. The most common and basis version relates how two fishermen lost in fog, landed on an enchanted island and lit a fire. The flames broke the spell and the mist lifted to reveal an old woman driving a white cow along a shingle beach, which ran between a lake and the sea. She was observed to strike the cow, whereupon it turned to stone. Another tradition has that the old women and the cow emerge from the lake every seven years or alternatively to forewarn of some impending disaster. The lake in question is Loch Bo Finne (Lake of the White Cow) in West Quarter village.

The legend of Inishbofin, the island of the white cow

Whatever the truth of the legend, it is clear that the islands have drawn fishermen, farmers, monks, soldiers and adventurers for over 6,000 years. The population has fluctuated widely over the millennia surging to a peak of sixteen hundred people prior to the great famine in the mid-nineteenth century. It has fallen steadily ever since. In 1991 there was a slight increase again to the present figure of 212 persons.

It is not yet clear when settlement on these islands commenced. In contrast to the Connemara mainland the island has yet to produce diagnostic evidence of a Mesolithic presence and until now displayed only circumstancial evidence for a significant Neolithic presence. There is a marked absence of typical Neolithic and Bronze Age ritual and burial monuments, such as megalithic tombs, stone alignments or standing stones. It would appear that the social, economic and religious conditions may have been different from those pertaining on the adjacent mainland where these monuments were abundant.

These islands possess an abundance of natural resources, large fish stocks, fertile soils, a plentiful supply of fresh water and a superb and easily defended mile long harbour. In addition substantial deposits of valuable soapstone or steatite are present. In times past this would have been a invaluable non-food resource for trade and exchange. This malleable, easily worked rock was a highly prized substance and is commonly found in Early Christian and Viking age sites. An old soapstone quarry is still pointed out on the shore in West Quarter and until recently island fishermen used soapstone to make weights for their nets.

These islands possess a number of Midden sites though they remain undated as yet.

Possibly the earliest remains of human habitation on the islands were evident in the sandhills opposite Inishlyon in the town land of Knock. During the Clare Island Survey of 1911-1914, it was noted that these middens contained charcoal, peat quantities of limpets, periwinkles, oysters, mussels and broken bones. A hammer stone was also found at the same position. This hints at a possible early date for these sites.

However, these middens are almost non-existent today due to coastal erosion and intensive rabbit habitation. Other sites have been identified in Braid at the south end of the Harbour.

Despite the apparent absence of Mesolithic and Neolithic sites it is clear from analysis of lake sediments that Neolithic sites communities had an impact on the landscape of these islands. The presence of a saddle quern in the town-land of Knock provides sound archaeological evidence in support of the sediment analysis results.

The field systems that were uncovered in the more marginal and rough land of Bofin may date from the Neolithic to Medieval times. These consist of a profusion of substantial house sites with coeval field systems, terraces and fulachta fiadha. Two of the more important settlement complexes are located on the south side of Inishlyon and the north shore of Inishark. Those and the site in West Quarter are pre-bog sites and suggest an older period than others on the island. The field systems located at Middle Quarter, Knock hill and Bunamullan suggest intensive farming and a large population.

The ancient stone terraces are thought to be of Bronze age origin. The widespread distribution of these terraces, house sites and fulachta fiadha point to a huge expansion of population during the late Bronze Age which may have led to marginal areas being taken in to cultivation. This in turn may have resulted in the exhaustion of the island's more fragile soils, to their abandonment and subsequent envelopment in peat.

Coastal Promontory Forts thought to be of The Iron Age are common on these islands, the most dramatic been Dun Mor in West Quarter. This fort "consists of a wall of masonry, curving around a natural terrace, half way up the slope of the headland with several hut sites around the low hill eastwards from the Dun". The rubble from the original defence wall is still visible. Such forts were built for defence purposes along the cliff edge with a complete view of the surrounding water.

There are at least 3 others on Inishbofin, Dun na h-Inine, Dun Dubh, and Dun Graine. The latter is said to have been occupied by Graine Uaile who from there defended the entrance of the harbour against intruders. The discovery of a medieval window fragment on this site recently provides us with the sole surviving artefact of this long lost O Máille Castle.

Close to the tiny harbour in Inishark there are a number of feature associated with the monastic site founded by St. Leo. There is a small cashel called Clochan Leo, traces of a medieval Church Foigh Leo and a small holy well, Tobar Leo. With regards to Inishbofin St Colman dominates from as early as the 7^th century. He was of Connacht origin and defended the Celtic Custom on the dating of Easter at the Synod of Whitby in 664. The Synod condemned the Celtic Way and this Paschal controversy led Colman to leave Lindesfarne with all the Irish Monks and thirty English. They sailed to Bofin via Iona and landed here in 665.

In the townland of Knock they established another a monastery. Before long discount arose within their community between the Saxons and the Celts. Colman removed the English to the mainland of Mayo and established another monastery there. He died there on August 8^th in 674.

Today there remains a ruined stone chapel on the site of the original St Colman's monastic site, which dates to the 14th century. The original structure was probably a wooden one was sacked and burned in 1334. There is also a bullaun stone and two early crosses.

St Scaithin is also reputed to have had a settlement on Inishbofin. This site is situated in West Quarter in the old children's burial ground. In the medieval period these islands like most of Connemara lay beyond the direct Norman influences and were held alternatively by the O' Flaherty and the O Malley sea lords. The islands no doubt participated in the extensive business of trading and raiding that typified maritime pursuits in the medieval period along the western seaboard.

The strategic importance of these islands ensured that they attracted the attentions of both National and English forces during the major upheavals caused by the 1641 Rebellion. During this time Inishbofin became a pivotal stronghold in the West and was the last to fall.

Royalist forces held out here with French aid from the Duke of Lorraine and made a last ditch campaign of resistance. After some initial success, which included retaking the Aran Islands, the resistance finally crumbled and the islands surrendered in somewhat controversial circumstances. The Cromwellian regime built the imposing and wonderfully intact Star-Shaped artillery fort at the mouth of the harbour, circa 1656. It is known locally as Cromwell's Barracks and Don Bosco's fort. The latter is reputed to have been a Spanish pirate and ally of Graine Uaile. Together the pair kept out intruders from the harbour. Being raiders, they could also use the same technique to trap merchandised ships in the harbour and avail of their treasures for themselves.

To the east lies an impressive cresentic shaped medieval harbour, which still stands over 3m in height at low tide.

With the Cromwellian occupation the islands entered a new and somewhat bizarre stage. The Fort was used as a penal holding for Catholic priests and many remained until the restoration of Charles 11. During the Jacobite wars the fort was again in Irish hands and held out until after the battle of Aughrim in 1691, when they surrendered on good terms to the Williamite forces.

In the eighteenth century, the islands then owned by the Burkes entered a period of relative tranquillity and benign neglect. The islanders resorted to the old age practice of ship wrecking and smuggling. A surviving warrant of 1741 gives a fascinating description of the wrecking of a ship, the Kitty Briggs who was bound for England with a rich cargo from Antigua in the West Indies. She was attacked in Inishbofin harbour by three O' Flaherty brothers, one being a priest.

In the nineteenth century fishing supported an enormous population of over 1600 people which included the hunting of seals and basking sharks. The Irish language continued to be spoken on these islands up to the 1900s when it was gradually replaced by English. In recent times the growth of the tourist industry has brought fresh life into Inishbofin and this should revitalise the economic life of this most picturesque of islands.

Reference:
Inishbofin, Through Time and Tide.
Edited by Kieran Concannon.
Inishbofin Development Association
1993 (Reprinted 1997)
Cost £10.00 plus postage