As will be seen from Ireland’s Coast, Ireland has no shortage of offshore islands, isles, islets, skerries, rocks, reefs and shoals.
Ireland’s most notable Southwestern Islands are
Carbery’s 100 Isles (notably Cape Clear Island and Sherkin Island) and the Fastnet Rock, all in Co. Cork;
The Skelligs (Co. Cork)
Valentia Island (Co. Cork)
Bere Island & Dursey Island (Co. Cork)
The Blasket Islands (Co. Kerry)
and also include Bantry Bay’s Whiddy Island and Garinish Island / Ilnacullin.
The principal Western Islands comprise
The Aran Islands (Co. Galway)
The South Connemara Islands (Co. Galway)
Inishboffin & Inishark (Co. Galway)
Inishturk (Co. Galway officially)
Caher Island (Co. Mayo)
The Islands of Clew Bay (Co. Mayo)
Clare Island (Co. Mayo)
Achill Island (Co. Mayo)
and the Inishkea Archipelago (Co. Mayo)
Also included are the Islands of the River Shannon Estuary (especially Scattery Island) and Mutton Island (Co. Clare)
The Northwestern Islands
Inishmurray (Co. Sligo)
Inishtrahull (Co. Donegal)
The Gweedore Islands (Co. Donegal)
Inishbofin & Inishdooey (Co. Donegal)
Rathlin O’Birne (Co. Donegal)
Tory Island (Co. Donegal)
The Rosses Islands (Co. Donegal)
The Northeastern Islands
Rathlin Island (Co. Antrim)
The Copeland Islands (Co. Down)
The Skerries
Lambay Island
Ireland’s Eye
Bull Island
In addition, Ireland’s lakes & rivers are home to several interesting islands.