Location.
Lying
off Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford on the sunny south-east coast of Ireland
two islands fill the eye of the beholder.
The Saltees were among the first places inhabited by New
Primitive Stone Age settlers. Down
the centuries Christian hermits, smugglers, vagabonds, alleged outlaws
and farmers have inhabited the islands. 
Most of their history has been expertly chronicled in the superb
book Saltees - Islands of Birds and Legends by Richard Roche and
Oscar Merne, still readily available and published firstly in 1977 by
The O’Brien Press Ltd. and now in paperback.
When travelling from the East, North or West of the county flashes of the
Saltees will hold center stage in your visual baptism of this historic
coastline. Looking
deceptively close to the mainland, bluebell blue in the spring, pasture
and bracken green in summer, cold granite gray and burnished bracken in
the winter the Little Saltee, resembling a grey seal, lies just two and
a half miles off the beautifully manicured and thatched village, harbour
and marina of Kilmore Quay. Its
larger brother rises whale like above calm or
vibrant waters a further
three-quarters of a mile southward.
The
islands rule supreme over the bays Ballyteighe to the west and
Ballyhealy to the east, almost equidistant between Carnsore Point and
Hook Head. 
The Saltees, both privately owned, are the only islands
along the Irish east coast from Ireland’s Eye (Dublin) to Sherkin
(Cork) on the south-west coast. They are among the oldest pieces
of land in Ireland and the British Isles.
The
Name
It is
thought that Saltee or derivations of it has been the only name used for
these two islands. An early
Italian map (14th century) shows it as Saltis.
Down the centuries various languages have their own spelling of
Salt Islands. We, however,
like the Norse derivation Salt ey meaning Salt Islands.
All along this southern coastline Norse names abound.
The Vikings are likely to have used the trading sea route between
Waterford and Wexford and so mapped the islands with this name.
It is probable the name dates back to the middle 12th
century. 
The
complete replica of the Viking ship Sea Stallion of Glendalough on its
triumphant return, many centuries later to Dublin, August, 2007
