The Saltee Islands (Irish: Oileán an tSalainn; Old Norse: Salt ey[1]) are a pair of small islands lying 5 kilometres off the southern coast of County Wexford in Ireland. The two islands are Great Saltee (89 hectares) and Little Saltee (37 hectares). They have been largely unoccupied since the early 20th century and have been privately owned by the Neale family since 1943. Together the islands cover an area of 1.2 square kilometres.
The islands are a breeding ground for fulmar, gannet, shag, kittiwake, guillemot, razorbill, puffin and grey seal. An area surrounding both islands and extending approximately 500 m (1,600 ft) off shore was granted the status of a Special Protection Area to protect the bird habitat. The islands are also at the centre of a related Special Area of Conservation named after them, extending to the mainland coastline east of Kilmore Quay. The conservation area specifically addresses: the mud and sand flats on the mainland coastline as well as those surrounding the mainland facing sides of Little Saltee; large shallow inlets and bays to the west of an imaginary line joining Kilmore Quay and Great Saltee; reefs throughout the entire area; the vegetated sea cliffs which surround both islands; sea caves along the south coast of Great Saltee and the entire area as a grey seal habitat with specific reference to both islands as important sites, including for breeding, along with some areas further out also of interest as moult and resting haul-out sites.[2]
Geology and geographyedit
The islands are based on Pre-Cambrian bedrock between 600 million and 2 billion years old.[3] The highest point in the Saltees is South Summit on Great Saltee at 198 feet (60 metres). The waters around the islands can be treacherous, hence the area is known as the "Graveyard of a Thousand Ships and the islands their tombstones".[citation needed]
Demographicsedit
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1841
0
—
1851
0
0.00%
1861
0
0.00%
1871
0
0.00%
1881
0
0.00%
1891
0
0.00%
1901
0
0.00%
1911
0
0.00%
Year
Pop.
±%
1926
0
0.00%
1936
0
0.00%
1946
0
0.00%
1951
0
0.00%
1956
0
0.00%
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
6
—
1996
0
−100.0%
2002
0
0.00%
2006
0
0.00%
Source: Central Statistics Office. "CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year". irishislands.info. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
Popular cultureedit
The Saltee Islands are the setting for Eoin Colfer's book Airman as a powerful sovereign state based around diamond industry. However, the book is a work of fiction and no significant natural resources have been found.[3]
Further readingedit
Deane, C.D. 1974. On the wild island kingdom of Great Saltee. Belfast News Letter. 7 December.
Moran, J. 1980. Kings of the Great Saltee The Countryman Winter 1979/80, Vol 84, p85-91
Referencesedit
^Sheehan, John; Hansen, Steffen Stummann; ó Corráin, Donnchadh (2001). "A Viking Age Maritime Haven: A Reassessment of the Island Settlement at Beginish, Co. Kerry". The Journal of Irish Archaeology. 10: 93–119. JSTOR 30001672. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^NPWS (2011) Conservation Objectives: Saltee Islands SAC 000707 and Saltee Islands SPA 004002. Version 1.0. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht., accessed 20 January 2016
^ abgeoschol.com report. accessed 1 September 2014
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saltee Islands.
saltee, islands, irish, oileán, tsalainn, norse, salt, pair, small, islands, lying, kilometres, southern, coast, county, wexford, ireland, islands, great, saltee, hectares, little, saltee, hectares, they, have, been, largely, unoccupied, since, early, 20th, ce. The Saltee Islands Irish Oilean an tSalainn Old Norse Salt ey 1 are a pair of small islands lying 5 kilometres off the southern coast of County Wexford in Ireland The two islands are Great Saltee 89 hectares and Little Saltee 37 hectares They have been largely unoccupied since the early 20th century and have been privately owned by the Neale family since 1943 Together the islands cover an area of 1 2 square kilometres The SalteesNative name Oilean an tSalainnGreat Saltee the larger of the two islandsGeographyLocationAtlantic OceanTotal islands2Major islandsGreat Saltee Little SalteeArea1 2 km2 0 46 sq mi AdministrationIrelandCountyWexfordDemographicsPopulation2 2011 Contents 1 Protected status 2 Geology and geography 3 Demographics 4 Popular culture 5 Further reading 6 References 7 External linksProtected status edit nbsp Gannets on Great Saltee The islands are a breeding ground for fulmar gannet shag kittiwake guillemot razorbill puffin and grey seal An area surrounding both islands and extending approximately 500 m 1 600 ft off shore was granted the status of a Special Protection Area to protect the bird habitat The islands are also at the centre of a related Special Area of Conservation named after them extending to the mainland coastline east of Kilmore Quay The conservation area specifically addresses the mud and sand flats on the mainland coastline as well as those surrounding the mainland facing sides of Little Saltee large shallow inlets and bays to the west of an imaginary line joining Kilmore Quay and Great Saltee reefs throughout the entire area the vegetated sea cliffs which surround both islands sea caves along the south coast of Great Saltee and the entire area as a grey seal habitat with specific reference to both islands as important sites including for breeding along with some areas further out also of interest as moult and resting haul out sites 2 Geology and geography editThe islands are based on Pre Cambrian bedrock between 600 million and 2 billion years old 3 The highest point in the Saltees is South Summit on Great Saltee at 198 feet 60 metres The waters around the islands can be treacherous hence the area is known as the Graveyard of a Thousand Ships and the islands their tombstones citation needed Demographics editHistorical populationYearPop 18410 185100 00 186100 00 187100 00 188100 00 189100 00 190100 00 191100 00 YearPop 192600 00 193600 00 194600 00 195100 00 195600 00 196100 00 196600 00 197100 00 YearPop 197900 00 198100 00 198600 00 19916 19960 100 0 200200 00 200600 00 Source Central Statistics Office CNA17 Population by Off Shore Island Sex and Year irishislands info Retrieved 12 October 2016 Popular culture editThe Saltee Islands are the setting for Eoin Colfer s book Airman as a powerful sovereign state based around diamond industry However the book is a work of fiction and no significant natural resources have been found 3 Further reading editDeane C D 1974 On the wild island kingdom of Great Saltee Belfast News Letter 7 December Moran J 1980 Kings of the Great Saltee The Countryman Winter 1979 80 Vol 84 p85 91References edit Sheehan John Hansen Steffen Stummann o Corrain Donnchadh 2001 A Viking Age Maritime Haven A Reassessment of the Island Settlement at Beginish Co Kerry The Journal of Irish Archaeology 10 93 119 JSTOR 30001672 Retrieved 12 May 2021 NPWS 2011 Conservation Objectives Saltee Islands SAC 000707 and Saltee Islands SPA 004002 Version 1 0 National Parks and Wildlife Service Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht accessed 20 January 2016 a b geoschol com report accessed 1 September 2014External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saltee Islands Official website of the Saltee Islands 52 07 N 6 36 W 52 117 N 6 600 W 52 117 6 600 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saltee Islands amp oldid 1172505242, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
