Inishmurray facts for kids
Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Site
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 Inishmurray
Location in island of Ireland
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 54°26′N 8°40′W / 54.433°N 8.667°W |
| Area | 0.9 km2 (0.35 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | Sligo |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 (2011) |
Inishmurray (Irish: Inis Muireadheach, meaning Muireadheach's island or Irish: Inis Muirígh) is an island in Ireland. It is not inhabited by people anymore. The island is about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) off the coast of County Sligo. It is a special place because of its old monastery.
Contents
Geography
The island is quite small. It covers about 0.9 square kilometers (0.35 square miles).
Etymology
The name Inishmurray might come from a saint. This saint was called Muiredach mac Echdach. He lived a very long time ago, in the early 500s.
History
A Very Old Monastery
Inishmurray has the remains of a very old monastery. Monasteries were places where monks lived and prayed. A saint named Laisrén, also known as Saint Molaise, probably started this monastery. This was in the 6th century. He was a close friend of Saint Columba (Colmcille). Saint Molaise's special day is August 12th.
Viking Attacks
The island's monastery was attacked by Vikings. This happened in 795 and again in 807. Because of these attacks, the monks eventually left the island. After that, no one lived there until the 12th century.
What the Monastery Looks Like
The monastery has an impressive wall around it. This wall is very tall, reaching up to 4.5 meters (15 feet) high. It is also very thick, up to 3 meters (10 feet) wide. Inside the wall, you can find many old buildings. These include a stone-roofed prayer house and two churches. There is also a clochán, which is a stone hut. You can see a large beehive-shaped cell and a holy well. Other remains include special cross slabs. These slabs show that people from other places visited the island. All the buildings are made from local sandstone.
Recent Times on the Island
The most people ever living on Inishmurray was just over 100. This was in the 1880s. But the last people moved from the island to the mainland. This happened on November 12, 1948. You can still see some of their old homes. There are 15 houses and the island's school. Even after people left, Inishmurray remained a place for pilgrimages. People would travel there for religious reasons. In 2018, new rules were made. These rules stopped commercial boats from bringing visitors to the island. This was done to make sure everyone was safe when getting on and off the boats.
See also
In Spanish: Inishmurray para niños
