Inishbiggle Explained

Inishbiggle
Map:island of Ireland
Native Name:Inis Bigil
Native Name Link:Irish language
Location:Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates:53.9958°N 9.9042°W
Country:Ireland
Country Admin Divisions Title:Province
Country Admin Divisions:Connacht
Country Admin Divisions Title 1:County
Country Admin Divisions 1:Mayo
Population:12
Population As Of:2022
Population Footnotes:[1]

Inishbiggle is a small inhabited island off the coast of Ballycroy in County Mayo. Its name in Irish means "Vigil Island"

Geography

The island is situated between the northeast of Achill Island and the mainland, and is accessed by boat from either Doran's point at Ballycroy or Bullsmouth, Dooniver on Achill Island. The island is 2½ km x 1½ km, or 650acres in area.

Description

The main activities are sheep and cattle farming, fishing and winkle picking. Facilities on the island included a school and a post office, both now closed.

Plans to build a cable-car link across the Bullsmouth Channel, one of the strongest currents in Europe separating the island from Achill had been under discussion since 1996, but have now been abandoned. Planning permission for the cablecar was denied by Mayo County Council on the grounds that "It would be visually obtrusive in an area of special scenic importance, that it would create traffic problems and that it would devalue houses in the vicinity."[2]

Unpredictable currents in the channel during winter months can render the island inaccessible, even though the passage during fair weather is about ten minutes in the traditional boat, the currach. Emergency access is by helicopter.

Demographics

The table below reports data on Inishbiggle's population taken from Discover the Islands of Ireland (Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and the Census of Ireland.

At the end of 2023 the population had dropped to 8 people.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Population of Inhabited Islands Off the Coast. Central Statistics Office. 2023 . 29 June 2023.
  2. https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/1011/911611-inishbiggle-cable-car-plans/ Cable Car Battle On Isolated Inishbiggle Continues 1997