Horse Island, County Kerry facts for kids

Horse Island (Gaeilge: Oileán Capall) is a small, empty island in County Kerry, Ireland. It is located very close to the village of Portmagee. The island is currently owned by the Mcgill and Dooley families, who inherited it from their ancestors.

Island Life: Who Lived Here?

Horse Island has not always been empty. Long ago, people lived on the island. We can look at records to see how many people called Horse Island home over the years.

• In 1851, the island had its largest recorded population with 20 people living there.
• The number of residents slowly decreased over time.
• By 1961, everyone had moved away, and the island became completely uninhabited. It has remained empty ever since.

This change shows how some small islands in Ireland became empty as people moved to bigger towns or cities for different opportunities.