Inishfree facts for kids
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Native name:
Inis Fraoigh
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 Inishfree Upper
Location in island of Ireland
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| Etymology | transl. Heather Island |
| Geography | |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 54°57′18″N 8°26′41″W / 54.95500°N 8.44472°W |
| Area | 0.6 sq mi (1.6 km2) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Ulster |
| County | Donegal |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 (2013) |
Inishfree is the name for two small islands near the coast of County Donegal in northern Ireland. The name "Inishfree" comes from the Irish words "Inis Fraoigh," which means 'island of heather.' Inishfree Upper is the bigger island, about 0.6 square miles (1.6 square kilometers) in size. People often just call it "Inishfree."
Inishfree Upper: A Look at Its History
Inishfree Upper has a long history. Around the 400s or 500s AD, it was said to be controlled by Niall of the Nine Hostages. He later became a very important leader, known as the High King of Ireland. Much later, in the Middle Ages, Inishfree belonged to the family of Niall. This included the clan of Red Hugh O'Donnell. He was a leader who fought against the English in Ulster.
In the early 1900s, about 36 families lived on Inishfree Upper. Two famous writers, Séamus Ó Grianna and Peadar O'Donnell, taught at the island's school. Peadar O'Donnell even became the school's head teacher.
In 1980, a group called the Atlantis commune moved to Inishfree. They had first started in Burtonport in 1974. This group later moved to Colombia in 1989.
The last person to live permanently on Inishfree Upper was Barry Pilcher. He moved there in 1993 from Essex, England. He returned to Essex in 2013. In 2009, because of possible bad weather, Mr. Pilcher and people from nearby islands were the first in Ireland to vote on the Treaty of Lisbon. Today, there are still holiday homes used on the island. In 2016, two people voted in the Irish general election on Inishfree. Both of them had moved to live mainly in Burtonport.
Inishfree Lower: The Smaller Island
Inishfree Lower is the smaller of the two islands. Only one family lived there until the 1960s or 1970s.
See also
In Spanish: Inishfree para niños
