| Clare County Library | Clare
Places: Islands |
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Deer Island
Deer Island, or Innismore, is situated near the western bank of the Fergus about a quarter of a mile from the village of Ballynacally. In 1837 it contained 493 statute acres nearly equally divided between pasture and tillage. It was the property of the Earl of Egremont, and was also called Inchmore, or the "Great Island", being the largest of the Fergus islands. Samuel Lewis reported that "Flax was formerly cultivated here… but is now only partially grown". He also mentioned "some vestiges of an abbey still remaining, founded… at a very early period, by St. Senan of Inniscattery, who appointed St. Liberius one of his disciples, to preside over it". The ruins of the old church, some cholera graves and a holy well called Tobar Breedia are still to be seen. Deer Island was once a deer park, enclosed by water, where the Earl of Thomond kept a live larder of venison. |