Inishturk

Inishturk (Inis Toirc in Irish, meaning Wild Boar Island) is an inhabited island of County Mayo, in Ireland.[3]

This article is about the island in County Mayo. For the similarly named islands in Counties Mayo and Galway, see Inish Turk Beg and Inishturk South.
Inishturk
Native name:
Inis Toirc
North coast of Inishturk
Inishturk
Geography
LocationAtlantic Ocean
Coordinates53.7014°N 10.1083°W / 53.7014; -10.1083
Area6 km2 (2.3 sq mi)[1]
Highest elevation189.3 m (621.1 ft)[2]
Administration
ProvinceConnacht
CountyMayo
Demographics
Population51 (2016)
Pop. density8.5/km2 (22/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsIrish

Geography
Islands off County Mayo

The island lies about 15 km (9 mi) off the coast; its highest point reaches 189.3 m (621.1 ft) above sea level.[2] Between Inisturk and Clare Island lies Caher Island. It has a permanent population of 58 people.[4] There are two main settlements, both on the more sheltered eastern end of the island, Ballyheer and Garranty. Bellavaun and Craggy are abandoned settlements. The British built a Martello tower on the western coast during the Napoleonic Wars. Inisturk has the highest per capita donation rate towards the RNLI in the whole of Ireland.

History

Inishturk has been inhabited on and off since 4,000 BCE and has been inhabited permanently since at least 1700.[5] Some of the more recent inhabitants are descended from evacuees from Inishark to the southwest. The social club Mountain Common is situated on the hill that separates the two settlements.

Recent history

In 1993 Inishturk Community centre was opened, this community centre doubles as a library and a pub.

In June 2014 the ESB commissioned three new Broadcrown BCP 110-50 100kVA diesel generators to supply electricity to the island[6] The ESB have operated a diesel power station on the island since the 1980s[7]

Inishturk gained international attention in 2016 after a number of websites claimed that the island would welcome any American "refugees" fleeing a potential Donald Trump presidency.[8][9][10] These claims were used as one example of the type of "fake news" that arose during the 2016 US presidential election campaign.[11] As of November 2016, no changes to inward migration have been reported.

The island is home to a primary school on the island which in 2011 had only 3 pupils, this believed to be the smallest primary school in Ireland[12]

Demographics

The table below reports data on Inisturk's population taken from Discover the Islands of Ireland (Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and the Census of Ireland.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1841577—    
1851174−69.8%
1861110−36.8%
1871112+1.8%
1881116+3.6%
1891135+16.4%
1901135+0.0%
1911132−2.2%
1926101−23.5%
YearPop.±%
1936107+5.9%
1946125+16.8%
1951123−1.6%
1956110−10.6%
1961108−1.8%
196692−14.8%
197183−9.8%
197985+2.4%
198176−10.6%
YearPop.±%
198690+18.4%
199178−13.3%
199683+6.4%
200272−13.3%
200658−19.4%
201153−8.6%
201651−3.8%
Source: Central Statistics Office. "CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year". CSO.ie. Retrieved October 12, 2016.

Transport

Prior to 1997 there was no scheduled ferry service and people traveled to and from the islands using local fishing boats. Since then a ferry service operates from Roonagh Quay, Louisburgh, County Mayo.[13] The pier was constructed during the 1980s by the Irish government, around this time the roads on the island were paved.[14]

  • Inisturk and Caher island
  • Inishturk pier
  • Harbour with Caher Island in background
  • Community centre
  • Freshwater lake
  • Clare Island as seen from Inishturk
  • Power station

See also

References
  1. R. Lloyd Praeger (March 1907). "The Flora of Inishturk". The Irish Naturalist. 16 (3): 113–125. JSTOR 25523043. Inishturk lies off the Mayo coast [..] It is also much smaller than either [of its neighbours], having an area of 2​1⁄4 square miles, as against Bofin's 4​1⁄2 square miles (Inishark included), and Clare's 6​1⁄6 square miles
  2. "Inisturk". MountainViews. Ordnance Survey Ireland. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  3. Sometimes the island's name is reported as Inisturk, as for instance by Google Maps
  4. http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/no-christmas-medical-cover-on-island-of-inishturk-655775.html
  5. Mayo Walks - Inishturk
  6. BC Inishturk case study
  7. New hope for Inishturk
  8. https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/491813/the-tiny-irish-island-that-will-welcome-american-refugees/
  9. Huffington Post - Looking to escape Donald Trump
  10. Remote Irish island seeks American fleeing Donald Trump presidency
  11. "Fake news is big business - and may have handed Trump the election". The Business Post. 20 November 2016.
  12. Three-pupil school urges families to consider move to 'idyllic' island
  13. islander committed to her community
  14. Winter Inishturk
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