Saturday, 21 July 2018

Island 425 - Illaunakeegher, Omey Island, County Galway

Illaunakeegher is a small, low-lying, uninhabited tidal island located off the north west tip of Omey Island, which is itself a tidal island located to the west of the village of Claddaghduff in County Galway.  

I arrived at the crossing point a couple of hours before low tide and there was still about 6 inches of water filling a channel between Omey and Illaunakeegher, so I took my boots off and paddled through it.  I should have been a bit more patient, as by the time I came to cross back 15 minutes later, the water had receded sufficiently to reveal some rocks, which I could have used as stepping stones.

Someone has built a small cairn on Ilaunakeegher and there are good views from it across to Cruagh and High Island.  When I visited in May 2018 thrift and kidney vetch were in flower on the island.  Many of the rocks on Illaunakeegher are covered in golden lichen.

Looking south west towards Cruagh Island and High Island
 
Looking east towards over Omey Island towards the mountains of Connemara
 
Cairn - looking north east to mainland County Galway
 
Crossing point
 
Looking south west from Omey Island towards Illaunakeegher

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