Omey Island
Encyclopedia
Omey Island is a tidal island
situated near Claddaghduff
on the western edge of Connemara
in County Galway
, Ireland
. From the mainland the island is inconspicuous and almost hidden. It is possible to drive or walk across a large sandy strand to the island by following the arrowed signs. At high tide, the water is deep enough to cover a car.
. In fact, its name derives from the Irish
Iomaidh Feichín meaning Feichín's bed or seat.
The excavation gave new insights into the life of early Christianity in Ireland and included one of the few known burials of a female within a monastic burial ground. The site is believed to date from the early 6th century.
The island of Omey remains a place of devotion to Saint Feichín to this day, with a Holy Well situated by the western edge and several other key landmarks of piety, including the still existing ancient church - with the majority of its vast stones still very much in place (having been buried in centuries of sand until the parish priest took matters into his own hands and, with the help of locals, dug up the area surrounding it.
St Feichín is known to have established many such communities across the west of Ireland and is considered one of the most important of the early founders of the rich tradition of Irish Christianity.
witnessed a strange creature in the lake that he describes as being similar to a Dobhar-chu
/ Master Otter.
Tidal island
A tidal island is a piece of land that is connected to the mainland by a natural or man-made causeway that is exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide. Because of the mystique surrounding tidal islands many of them have been sites of religious worship, such as Mont Saint Michel with its...
situated near Claddaghduff
Claddaghduff
Claddaghduff is a village in County Galway, in the province of Connacht, Ireland. It is located northwest of Clifden, the gateway to Omey Island, and like much of Connemara is noted for its beautiful seascapes.-History:The village, now sparsely populated, offers much history...
on the western edge of Connemara
Connemara
Connemara is a district in the west of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway.-Overview:...
in County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. From the mainland the island is inconspicuous and almost hidden. It is possible to drive or walk across a large sandy strand to the island by following the arrowed signs. At high tide, the water is deep enough to cover a car.
Monastic heritage
In the early-to-mid-1990s a team of archaeologists from University College Dublin began work to study the monastic heritage of the island, long known for being the site of a monastery and settlement founded by the prodigious St FeichinSaint Feichin
Saint Féchín or Féichín , also known as Mo-Ecca, was a 7th-century Irish saint, chiefly remembered as the founder of the monastery at Fore , Co. Westmeath.-Sources:...
. In fact, its name derives from the Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Iomaidh Feichín meaning Feichín's bed or seat.
The excavation gave new insights into the life of early Christianity in Ireland and included one of the few known burials of a female within a monastic burial ground. The site is believed to date from the early 6th century.
The island of Omey remains a place of devotion to Saint Feichín to this day, with a Holy Well situated by the western edge and several other key landmarks of piety, including the still existing ancient church - with the majority of its vast stones still very much in place (having been buried in centuries of sand until the parish priest took matters into his own hands and, with the help of locals, dug up the area surrounding it.
St Feichín is known to have established many such communities across the west of Ireland and is considered one of the most important of the early founders of the rich tradition of Irish Christianity.
Inhabitants and visitors
The population of the island has diminished drastically from its maximum when hundreds of people lived there in the early 19th century. In fact, for over ten years (until recently) the only full time inhabitant was the former stuntman and wrestler Pascal Whelan. Irish Poet Richard Murphy lived for some time on Omey Island, where he built an octagonal retreat that still exists. In 2003 the Irish Artist Sean CorcoranSean Corcoran
Sean Corcoran MIDI is an Irish Visual Artist noted for his Stained Glass, Mosaics and Wooden Sculpture. In more recent years he has exhibited his work in digital art, photography and mapmaking. He also does interior design and has been accepted as a member of The Institute of Designers of Ireland....
witnessed a strange creature in the lake that he describes as being similar to a Dobhar-chu
Dobhar-chu
The Dobhar-chú is a creature of Irish folklore and a cryptid. Dobhar-chú is roughly translated into "water hound." It resembles both a dog and an otter though sometimes is described as a half dog, half fish. It lives in water and has fur with protective properties.Many sightings have been...
/ Master Otter.