Innishmurray, County Sligo

Innishmurray, County Sligo

About 4 miles off Sligo’s untamed northern coast lies an uninhabited, windswept island that contains one of the best-preserved early Christian monasteries in Ireland. The monastery was founded by St Molaise in the 6th century and destroyed by the Vikings in 807. Three churches remain, enclosed within a 13ft high dry-stone wall, or cashel. The beehive hut was once the school.

 

The 200-acre island is also dotted with about 50 tone memorials, at which pilgrims performed the Stations of the Cross until 1948. Ironically, Innishmurray is also famous for its ‘cursing stones’ – used to cast ills upon enemies.

 

Innishmurray is a hidden gem that is a must see on your tours of Ireland.