| Helvick | |
| Type: | Headland |
| Map: | Ireland |
| Relief: | 1 |
| Elevation M: | --> |
| Surface Elevation M: | --> |
| Geology: | Old Red Sandstone |
| Age: | 380 million years |
Helvick or Helvick Head (Norse, Old: Hellavík) is a headland on the southern end of Dungarvan Harbour, Ireland; it is the eastern tip of the Ring Peninsula.[1] [2] [3]
Formed of Old Red Sandstone, it is the easternmost protrusion of a ridge that begins near Cork City.[4]
Helvick is one of a very few Irish place names derived from Old Norse. The second part, -vík, means "bay" (cf. Smerwick); and -hel in Icelandic means death or danger. (See the Icelandic adjective helvískur which means dangerous). Helvik would be recognised by an Icelander as suggesting a dangerous harbour entrance, especially in view of the presence of the very dangerous Blackrock right in the entrance to Dungarvan Harbour and just over a mile from the headland of Helvick.
the meaning of the first part is unclear, but it may mean "healthy", "white", "holy", or "safe"; compare with Hellvik, Norway.[5]
Helvick Head is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).[6] The cliffs are a nesting site for seabirds including choughs and shag. Other bird species include razorbill, Northern fulmar, peregrine falcon, black-legged kittiwake, black guillemot, and common murre (guillemot).[7]
Plants include gorse, bell heather, ling, devil's-bit scabious, heath bedstraw, bog violet, burnet rose, thrift, kidney vetch, sea mayweed and wild carrot.[8] [9]