Helvick

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Helvick
20120812 26 Ireland - Co. Waterford - Ballyvoile (7939021888).jpg
View from Ballyvoile out to Helvick Head
Map showing the location of Helvick
Map showing the location of Helvick
Coordinates52°03′13″N 7°32′12″W / 52.053615°N 7.536734°W / 52.053615; -7.536734Coordinates: 52°03′13″N 7°32′12″W / 52.053615°N 7.536734°W / 52.053615; -7.536734
GeologyOld Red Sandstone
Age380 million years

Helvick or Helvick Head (Irish: Heilbhic, Ceann Heilbhic) is a headland on the southern end of Dungarvan Harbour, Ireland; it is the eastern tip of the Ring Peninsula.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Formed of Old Red Sandstone, it is the easternmost protrusion of a ridge that begins near Cork City.[7]

Royal National Lifeboat Institution station

Name[]

Helvick is one of a very few Irish place names derived from Old Norse. The second part, -vík, means "bay" (cf. Smerwick); and -hel in Icelandic means death or danger. (See the Icelandic adjective helvískur which means dangerous). Helvik would be recognised by an Icelander as suggesting a dangerous harbour entrance, especially in view of the presence of the very dangerous Blackrock right in the entrance to Dungarvan Harbour and just over a mile from the headland of Helvick.

the meaning of the first part is unclear, but it may mean "healthy", "white", "holy", or "safe"; compare with Hellvik, Norway.[8]

Wildlife[]

Helvick Head is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).[9] The cliffs are a nesting site for seabirds including choughs and shag. Other bird species include razorbill, Northern fulmar, peregrine falcon, black-legged kittiwake, black guillemot, and common murre (guillemot).[10]

Plants include gorse, bell heather, ling, devil's-bit scabious, heath bedstraw, bog violet, burnet rose, thrift, kidney vetch, sea mayweed and wild carrot.[11][12]

References[]

  1. ^ Office, United States Hydrographic (8 February 1923). "British Islands Pilot". Hydrographic office under the authority of the secretary of the navy – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Through the Gaeltacht and to the sea". The Irish Times. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Helvick Head - Ireland Highlights".
  4. ^ "eOceanic". eoceanic.com.
  5. ^ Martin, Tina Broderick (8 February 1991). "From Helvick Head to Hescut Point: The St. Brendan's Irish". St. Brendan's Come Home Year Committee – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Walsh, David (8 February 2004). Oileain: A Guide to the Irish Islands. Pesda Press. ISBN 9780953195695 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Old Red Sandstone". University College Cork.
  8. ^ "Heilbhic/Helvick". Logainm.ie.
  9. ^ Helvick Head SAC | National Parks & Wildlife Service
  10. ^ "Helvick Head SAC" (PDF). National Parks & Wildlife Service. January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Helvick Head". www.askaboutireland.ie.
  12. ^ "The Irish Naturalists' Journal". I.N.J. Committee. 8 February 1968 – via Google Books.
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