Cherry Island — Cherry Island (lough Ennell)

Depicted on OS 6-inch maps as Cherry island standing at SE end of Lough Ennell, 30m N of the shoreline with Gaddaghanstown. The island is 90m NNW of an inlet which marks the townland boundary between Gaddaghanstown and Robinstown. Described by O'Sullivan (2004, 84-5) as 'a natural island (approx. dims. 33m N-S; 36m E-W; H 2m) (with outcropping bedrock visible) off Gaddaghanstown townland. It has a large, circular stone cashel on its northeast side. The cashel is defined by a stone-faced scarp (2m height, 4.4m in width, 1.2m depth), that is broad and markedly stepped in profile along its outer edge. The cashel’s interior is clearly raised above the island’s surface. There is a large, rectangular, stone-lined inlet (14m E/W, 8m N/S) on the eastern side of the cashel (opening out into the lake). This appears to be an impressive boat harbour or naust. The island is connected to the shoreline by marshy ground, but would have been surrounded by water prior to drainage. This island cashel may be a place named in the twelfth-century hagiography, Colmáin maic Lúacháin, where there are mentions of such places as Dun na Cairrge ( ‘the fort of the rock’) or Inis na Cairrge, (‘the island of the rock’) both being royal seats of Onchu and Colman, successive kings of Fir Tulach. There is also a place named as Port na Cairrge (‘harbour of the rock’) in the life, indicating a landing place for boats (Meyer 1911, 53, 66). The presence of a substantial stone boat harbour on the site and the natural bay adjacent and to the south of the island may be physical evidence for these harbours. The site of Dun na Cairrge was sufficiently important that it was subsequently appropriated by the king of Mide, Conchubar Ua Maelsechlainn (1030-74) in the late eleventh century'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 February 2017