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Inishsirrer
Native name:
Inis Oirthir
Inishsirrer - NW half of the island looking northwest - geograph.org.uk - 1350643.jpg
NW half of the island from a flight preparing to land at Donegal Airport
Inishsirrer is located in island of Ireland
Inishsirrer
Inishsirrer
Location in island of Ireland
Geography
Location Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates 55°06′54″N 8°19′55″W / 55.11500°N 8.33194°W / 55.11500; -8.33194
Area 0.43 km2 (0.17 sq mi)
Length 1.6 km (0.99 mi)
Width 0.4 km (0.25 mi)
Administration
Province Ulster
County Donegal
Demographics
Population 0

Inishsirrer (which means "outer island" in Irish) is a small island located off the coast of Gweedore. Gweedore is a beautiful area in County Donegal, Ireland. It is also known as a townland, which is a small division of land in Ireland.

Island Geography

Inishsirrer is quite close to the mainland. It is about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) away from the coast of Gweedore. Another island called Inishmeane is also nearby.

The island itself is not very big. It stretches for about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) in length. Its width is around 400 meters (1,300 feet). Near the northern tip of Inishsirrer, you can find a sandy bay. This bay is a good place for boats to anchor safely.

Island History

A small group of people used to live on Inishsirrer during the early 1900s. However, today the island is no longer home to anyone. All the old buildings that once stood there are now mostly in ruins.

The population of Inishsirrer changed a lot over time:

Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1841 0 —    
1851 26 —    
1861 30 +15.4%
1871 14 −53.3%
1881 22 +57.1%
1891 28 +27.3%
1901 43 +53.6%
1911 41 −4.7%
Year Pop. ±%
1926 48 +17.1%
1936 34 −29.2%
1946 18 −47.1%
1951 5 −72.2%
1956 0 −100.0%
1961 0 0.00%
1966 0 0.00%
1971 0 0.00%
Year Pop. ±%
1979 0 0.00%
1981 0 0.00%
1986 0 0.00%
1991 0 0.00%
1996 0 0.00%
2002 0 0.00%
2006 0 0.00%
Source:

As you can see from the numbers, the population grew in the early 1900s. But after 1926, the number of people living on the island started to decrease. By the mid-1950s, Inishsirrer became completely uninhabited.

Fishing on Inishsirrer

In the past, Inishsirrer was well-known for its excellent lobster fishing. Fishermen would come to the waters around the island to catch these valuable sea creatures.

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