Puffin Island (County Kerry)

Puffin Island
Native name:
Oileán na gCánóg
Puffin Island, with the Skelligs in the background
Puffin Island is located in island of Ireland
Puffin Island
Puffin Island
Geography
LocationAtlantic Ocean
Coordinates51°50′N 10°25′W / 51.833°N 10.417°W / 51.833; -10.417
Area138 acres (56 ha)
Length1.5 km (0.93 mi)
Width0.7 km (0.43 mi)
Highest elevation213 m (699 ft)[1]
Administration
ProvinceMunster
CountyKerry
Demographics
Population0

Puffin Island (Irish: Oileán na gCánóg), historically called Inishfearglin,[2] is an uninhabited steep rocky island lying off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland.

Geography

The island is about 1.5 km long and 0.7 km wide, and rises to 213 metres. It is separated from the mainland by Puffin Sound, which is only about 250 metres across.[citation needed] Day visits to the island from Valentia can be arranged.[3] It lies off the northern headland of St. Finian's Bay.

Nature conservation

Puffin Island holds important populations of several seabird species, including Atlantic puffins, Manx shearwaters and European storm-petrels, and was acquired as a nature reserve by the Irish Wildbird Conservancy (now BirdWatch Ireland) in the early 1980s.[3]

History

The island also has some signs of ancient human habitation, and it has attracted the interest of archaeologists.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ "Puffin Island". townlands.ie. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Puffin Island/Oileán na gCánóg". Placenames Database of Ireland.
  3. ^ a b BirdWatch Ireland. "Puffin Island, Co. Kerry". Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  • Puffin Island from mainland
    Puffin Island from mainland
  • Puffin Island and, in the distance to its left, Valentia Island
    Puffin Island and, in the distance to its left, Valentia Island