Puffin Island (County Kerry)
Puffin Island (Irish: Oileán na gCánóg), historically called Inishfearglin,[2] is an uninhabited steep rocky island lying off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland.
Native name: Oileán na gCánóg | |
|---|---|
Puffin Island, with the Skelligs in the background | |
Puffin Island | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 51°50′N 10°25′W / 51.833°N 10.417°W |
| Area | 138 acres (56 ha) |
| Length | 1.5 km (0.93 mi) |
| Width | 0.7 km (0.43 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 213 m (699 ft)[1] |
| Administration | |
| Province | Munster |
| County | Kerry |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Geography
The island is about 1.5 km long and 0.7 km wide, and rises to 213 metres. It is separated from the mainland by Puffin Sound, which is only about 250 metres across. Day visits to the island from Valentia can be arranged.[3] It lies off the northern headland of St. Finian's Bay.
Nature conservation
Puffin Island holds important populations of several seabird species, including Atlantic puffins, Manx shearwaters and European storm-petrels, and was acquired as a nature reserve by the Irish Wildbird Conservancy (now BirdWatch Ireland) in the early 1980s.[3]
History
The island also has some signs of ancient human habitation, and it has attracted the interest of archaeologists.[citation needed]
References
- ^ "Puffin Island". townlands.ie. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ "Puffin Island/Oileán na gCánóg". Placenames Database of Ireland.
- ^ a b BirdWatch Ireland. "Puffin Island, Co. Kerry". Retrieved 6 January 2020.
Photo gallery
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Puffin Island from mainland
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Puffin Island and, in the distance to its left, Valentia Island
External links
- Media related to Puffin Island (Ireland) at Wikimedia Commons