Beginish Island facts for kids
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Native name:
Beiginis
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Beginish from the Slate quarry (Valentia Harbour)
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 Beginish Island
Location in island of Ireland
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| Geography | |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 51°56′N 10°18′W / 51.933°N 10.300°W |
| Administration | |
| Province | Munster |
| County | Kerry |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Beginish Island, also known as Beiginis (meaning "small island" in Irish), is a beautiful island located in Valentia Harbour. You can find it in the southwest part of County Kerry, Ireland. It's a quiet place with a rich history and interesting natural features.
Contents
What is Beginish Island Like?
Beginish Island is surrounded by other interesting places. To the north, you can see Doulus Head and Killelan mountain. Valentia Island is to the south, and Ballycarbery is to the east. The northwest side of Beginish faces the wide Atlantic Ocean and Dingle Bay.
There are a few smaller islands nearby. Lamb Island is to the north, and Church Island is to the east. Church Island is special because it has the remains of an old monastic settlement. This includes an oratory (a small prayer room), a hut, a holy well, and a shrine.
On the northern edge of Beginish Island, you can see unique cliffs made of basalt rock. These cliffs have a cool hexagonal (six-sided) shape. They formed in a similar way to the famous Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.
People use Beginish Island for different things. There are a few holiday homes that families use during certain seasons. The island is also used for sheep farming and some small-scale forestry. In the summer, visitors enjoy the island's beaches for fun activities.
A Look into Beginish Island's Past
Beginish Island has many ancient sites. These show that people lived here a long time ago.
Viking Village on Beginish
A Viking village was active on the island between the 9th and 12th centuries. This village had about eight houses and 15 stone piles called cairns. There was also a network of small fields surrounded by low stone walls. Archaeologists found many middens, which are old rubbish heaps, giving clues about daily life.
Archaeologist M. J. O'Kelly first dug up this site in the 1950s. More recently, John Sheehan has studied the findings further.
The main building you can still see today was built around the 11th century AD. It shows a mix of Scandinavian and Irish building styles. This round building is about 6.75 meters (22 feet) across. Its floor is sunken about 1.5 meters (5 feet) below the ground. The walls are made of dry stone, meaning no mortar was used. It likely had a thatched roof, with beams held by holes in the walls.
A special stone, called a lintel, was part of this building. It is 1.85 meters (6 feet) long, 0.45 meters (1.5 feet) wide, and 0.1 meters (4 inches) thick. It's made of sandstone. This lintel has a small cross and a rune inscription carved into it. The inscription says: "Verr erected this stone and Munulfr carved the runes." This important stone is now kept at the Cork Public Museum.
The Pilots Lookout
At the highest point on the western side of the island, there's a small stone hut. Locals call it "Pilots lookout." In the 1800s and early 1900s, people used this hut to watch for ships. They would look for ships coming into Dingle Bay that might need help navigating into Valentia Harbour.
Who Lived on Beginish?
Today, Beginish Island is uninhabited, meaning no one lives there permanently. The last permanent residents were two elderly brothers. They left the island in the 1990s.
In the past, many families lived on Beginish Island. They made their living from farming and fishing. Some of the most well-known families were the O'Connell, Casey, and McCrohan families.
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Nature and Wildlife
Beginish Island is home to a seal colony. You can find them in a small cove on the southern part of the island called Casey's Landing. The island also has lots of different bird species and interesting sea life.
Fun Activities
Sometimes, an annual swim takes place around Beginish Island. This challenging swim is about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) long.
