27 Jan Inishmurray , 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 stone memorials , at which pilgrims performed the Stations of the Cross until 1948. Ironically , Inishmurray is also famous for its ‘cursing stones’ used to cast ills upon enemies.
Inishmurray is a hidden gem that offers some truly spectacular coastal views and is a worth a visit on your tours of Ireland.