West Map | Oileáin Site Map
Read Michael Viney's account of a Walrus in Clew Bay
Many people will tell you that there are 365 islands in Clew Bay, one for every day of the year. Whatever the case, not every island in Clew Bay is marked on this map (see how many you can count). The islands in Clew Bay are partly drowned drumlins. Drumlins are small but long steep sided hills which were formed under melting glacierrs at the end of the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. There is particularly good panoramic view of the islands from Croagh Patrick or from Inishnakillew where the (very STEEP) road reaches the top of the drumlin which forms Inishnakillew (29m at 53.8502N 9.6219W)


Name:
English: Clew Bay
Irish: Cuan Mó
 Websites:
Wikipedia

 Books:
The Road to Roaring Water
by Christopher Somerville
Publisher - Harper Collins 1993


Placename sources: logainm.ie | Mayo County Library

Journals of the Westport Historical Society
Vol. 10. No. 1, 1990 - ISSN 0332-4117
The Outer Islands of Clew Bay: A Study (Island More, Knockycahillaun, Rabbit Island and Quinsheen Island), (Part 1)
by Honor Sisk
Vol 11 No. 1, 1991 - ISSN 0332-4117
The Outer Islands of Clew Bay: A Study (Island More, Knockycahillaun, Rabbit Island and Quinsheen Island), (Part II)
by Honor Sisk
Life on Island More and Knockycahillaun
By Anna Hawkshaw
Some aspects of trade in Clew Bay
by John Mulloy
Vol. 12 No. 1, 1992 - ISSN 0332-4117
Some aspects of trade in Clew Bay, Part II
by John Mulloy
The view of Croagh Patrick (left) and of various Clew Bay islands from Inishnakillew. Faintly visible in the distance towards the right is the hump of Clare Island

A Walrus in Clew Bay

Michael Viney
from "Another Life"
".... But a brick-red walrus with real ivory tusks and wrinkled skin, lolling on a rock near Old Head, within a stone's throw of grazing sheep, oblivious of holiday traffic and, praise be, young Mr Paul Cotter's camera, was almost surrealistically disturbing. Walruses belong in the Arctic, with the polar bears. The only ones l've ever seen close up were chivvied off an ice floe in East Greenland by a helicopter's brutal wind. And now a walrus has spent an Easter Saturday afternoon (1999) on the shore below Croagh Patrlck, its snooze snapped in Fujicolor for the edification of science. A "rare vagrant'' - but how rare is rare. One was seen in the Shannon in 1897, one was shot off Co Kerry in the 1920s: two records in a century. But in the past 10 or 15 years, the number of sightings has been growing..."

Permission to reproduce from article and picture - thanks to Michael Viney

Walruses are not tame as the following story shows. This took place in Franz Josef Land which is in the Arctic about 1,300 miles further north than Ireland and much more the sort of place where you would find a walrus. Nansen and Johansen, two Norwegians who had been trying to reach the North Pole were on their way back home in August 1895.

"After Nansen and Johansen had been under way for some time, a walrus, heavily tusked, surfaced close by their (kayaks), glaring inquisitively, or menacingly at them. They ignored the obese monster. They had food enough, and merely wanted to advance. The walrus objected. And when Nansen and Johansen tried to drive it away with their oars, it became enraged. Puffing and snorting, it threatened to hole their kayaks with its tusks. Reluctantly, Johansen, in self-defence, had to waste a bullet ......."
From Nansen by Roland Huntford
West Map | Oileáin Site Map | Top
Collan More - Collainn Mhór (great [island] of heifers) - Glenans Sailing School Illanataggart - Oileán an tSagairt (island of the priest) Inishgowla South - Inis Gabhla Theas (forked island south?) Inishraher - Inis Raithir (island of the ferns) Inisheeny - Inis Aonaigh Inishturk - Inis Toirc (island of the boar) Inishcottle - Inis Cotail (cottlel's island) - accessible by causeway via Inishnakillew Illanaconney - Oileán an Chonnaidh (island of the firewood Inishbollog - Inis Bolg Inishlaughil - Inis Leamhchoille (island of the elmwood) Inishmolt - Inis Molt (island of the wether) Inishcuill - Inis Coill (island of the hazel) Carrickwee - Carraig Bhuí? Inishfesh - Inis Feise (island of the feast) Inishdaff - Inis Damh Inishloy - Inis Lóiche (island of the spade) Rosbarnagh Island - Oileán Ros Bairneach (island of the point of the limpets) Roslynagh - Ros Laighneach Illannambraher - Oileán na mBráthar (island of the friars) Inishdaweel - Inis Dá Mhaol (island of the two hornless cows) Muckinish - Muicinis (pig island) Freaghillanluggagh - Fraochoileán Lagach (heathery island of the hollow) Rabbit Island - Oileán na gCoinín Inishturlin - Inis Turlainn (island of the stony shore) Milcum - Ros na mBráthar (the point of the friars) Newport - Baile Uí Fhiacháin Burrishoole  Abbey - Mainistir Buiríos Umhaill Annagh Islands - Oileáin na hEanaí Bartraw - An Bheartrach (sandy shore) Inishdaugh Inishleague - Inis Liag (stony island) Dorinish - Deoirinis (tear island?) - bought by John Lennon in 1968 Inishimmel - 	Inis imeall (edge island?) Inishlaghan - Inis Lachan (Duck Island) Crovinish - Crobh-Inis (island like the palm of the hand) Inishlyre - Inis Ladhair (Fork Island) Collan  Beg - Colann Bheag (small body) Inishgort - Inis Guirt (field-island) - Lighthouse Quinnsheen - Cuinsín (island of the hounds) Island More - Oileán Mór (great island) Rabbit Island - Oileán na gCoinín Knockycahillaun - Cnoc Uí Chathaláin (Cahalan's Hill) Inish Bee - Inis Bidh (food island) Derrinish - Doire-Inse (oakwood of the island) Illaunnamona - Oileán na Móna - (turf (peat) island) Clynish - Claidhnis (island of the ditch) Freaghillan - Fraochoileán (heather island) Moneybeg - Muine Beag (small thicket) Inishnakillew - Inis na Coilleadh (island of the wood) - accessible by causeway Carrigeenglass North - Carraigín Glas Thuaidh (green small rock north) Inishoo - Inis Uamha (island of the cave) Inishgowla - Inis Gabhla (forked island) Calf Island - Oileán na nGamhna Illanmaw - Má-oileán (island of the bays) Moynish More - Maínis Mór (great island of the plain) Inishkeel - Inis Caol (narrow island) Inisherkin - Inis Earcáin (Erkin's island) Inishcooa - Inis Cua (St. Mochua's island) Roeillaun - Ruadh Oileán? Inishdeashmore - Inis Déis Mór (island of the pair) Inishnacross - Inis na Croise (island of the cross) Inishilra - Inis Iolra	(eagle Island) Inishcarrick Inishbobunnen - Inis-Bó Bunnan (cow island of the bitterns) Inishgowla - Inis Gabhla (forked island) Inishlim - Inis Slim	(smooth island) Inishtubrid - Inis Tiobrad (island of the well) Inishquirk - Inis Coirce (island of oats) Inishdasky - Inis Teasctha (island of grains) Inishcoragh - Inis Córach (island of the favourable weather) Freaghillan West - Fraochoileán Thiar (heather island west) Inishkee - Inis Caoich (island of the blind man) Freaghillan East - Fraochoileán Thoir (heather island east) The bay and some of the islands looking north  from the side of Croagh Parrick. The long beach at stretching out to Bartraw Island can be clearly seen The Glenans Sailing Club buildings on Collanmore Island The unmistakable profile of Clare Island looking west from the mainland.This island sits at the western entrance to the bay. The end of this drumlin island has been cut off cleanly by the sea and the island will eventually be eroded completely. Clew Bay islands are mostly drumlins which are typically long rounded hills deposited at the end of the last Ice Age. View of the bay from the top of 'the Reek' - Croagh Patrick A view of 'the Reek' - Croagh Patrick looking from the north shore of the bay. The  view from the top of Croagh Patrick looking north across the bay and islands to the mountains on the north shore of the bay. The end (in shadow) of the drumlin island has been cut off cleanly by the sea and the island will eventually be eroded completely. Clew Bay islands are mostly drumlins which are typically long rounded hills deposited at the end of the last Ice Age. 'The Reek' - Croagh Patrick in the left background and some islands. The Glenans Sailing Club buildings on Collanmore Island A side view of one of the drumlin islands. Clew Bay islands are mostly drumlins which are typically long rounded hills deposited at the end of the last Ice Age.