Garnish Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Garinish Island (disambiguation).

Garnish Island
Native name:
Garinis
Garinish-Island-Schiffsanlegestelle.jpg
Landing slip at Garnish Island
Garnish Island is located in island of Ireland
Garnish Island
Garnish Island
Geography
LocationBantry Bay
Coordinates51°44′11″N 9°32′28″W / 51.73639°N 9.54111°W / 51.73639; -9.54111Coordinates: 51°44′11″N 9°32′28″W / 51.73639°N 9.54111°W / 51.73639; -9.54111
Administration
ProvinceMunster
CountyCork

Garnish Island (sometimes Garinish Island, or Garinis in Irish), is an island in Glengarriff harbour on the Beara Peninsula in County Cork.[1] It is a popular tourist attraction in Bantry Bay, southwest Ireland.

History[]

Entrance to walled garden

The garden was designed by Harold Peto, (1854–1933), for its owner John Annan Bryce, (1841–1923), a Belfast native, who purchased the island from the War Office in 1910. Bryce's son Roland bequeathed the island to the Irish nation in 1953. It was taken over and is still maintained by the Office of Public Works. Renowned for its gardens and architecture (a mansion was designed by Peto but was never built), the island has played host to writers including George Bernard Shaw and George William Russell.[citation needed]

There is a restored Martello tower on the island dating from the time of the Napoleonic Wars. The Garnish tower, like others in Cork, but unlike other Irish Martello towers, has a straight cylindrical shape that does not splay out at its base.[citation needed]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
184113—    
18514−69.2%
18614+0.0%
18710−100.0%
188111—    
18918−27.3%
19015−37.5%
19115+0.0%
YearPop.±%
192687+1640.0%
1936105+20.7%
19464−96.2%
19513−25.0%
19562−33.3%
19612+0.0%
19662+0.0%
19712+0.0%
YearPop.±%
19792+0.0%
19812+0.0%
19862+0.0%
19911−50.0%
19961+0.0%
20020−100.0%
200600.00%
Source: Central Statistics Office. "CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year". CSO.ie. Retrieved 12 October 2016.

Mains electricity was brought to the island in the early 1950s via overhead cable.[2]

The gardens[]

Italian Garden on Garnish Island

The island extends to 15 hectares (37 acres) and is renowned for its gardens which flourish in the mild humid micro-climate of Glengarriff harbour assisted by a mainly pine shelter belt. Structures include a clock tower, a Grecian temple, a Martello Tower, and an Italian casita.

Getting there[]

Access is by one of several ferry services from the village of Glengarriff. These ferries generally include a tour of the nearby seal colony. Landing by private craft is possible but space is limited at the main landing point used by ferries.

See also[]

Further reading[]

  • R. Whalley, The Great Edwardian Gardens of Harold Peto (2007)
  • Ilnacullin (1989. - National Parks and Monument Service) ISBN 0-7076-0034-0
  • M. George & P. Bowe, The Gardens of Ireland (1986. Hutchinson) ISBN 0-09-167100-0

References[]

  1. ^ "Garinish Island". Glengarriff. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  2. ^ Rural electrification of Castletownbere, Co Cork in 1952

External links[]

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