It was a totally pumped tour group jumping out of bed early for a tour like no other. Today we embark on a fact finding mission to Scattery Island set in the Shannon Estuary a short boat ride from Kilrush.
With the tour group now extending to twelve we embark from Kenmare at 7.30am to make the trip to Tarbat from where we would catch a ferry to Killimere
With the tour group now extending to twelve we embark from Kenmare at 7.30am to make the trip to Tarbat from where we would catch a ferry to Killimere
. As per usual we took the long way (tomtom not always right!!).
Waiting at the ferry terminal
From Killimere we took a short drive to Kilrush where we were greeted by Geraldine down at the Marina with 5 minutes to spare. The 12 of us plus 3 other couples then boarded the San Senan II captained by Gerry Griffin.
Onboard the San Senan II headed for Scattery Island
Kevin and Jack wait for the lock doors to open
The voyage commenced with us leaving the harbour via a lock system whereby once in the lock barge the water was lowered approximately 2 metres, from which we then exited out the other end. About 1km out to sea we could see Skattery Island with the round tower impressivley prominant in the distance. The other obvious feature was the lack of trees on the island, but the green paddocks mirrored the mainland views.
Kevin and Jack wait for the lock doors to openThe voyage commenced with us leaving the harbour via a lock system whereby once in the lock barge the water was lowered approximately 2 metres, from which we then exited out the other end. About 1km out to sea we could see Skattery Island with the round tower impressivley prominant in the distance. The other obvious feature was the lack of trees on the island, but the green paddocks mirrored the mainland views.
Dad and Peter take the stairs onto Scattery Island
The open landscape of Scattery Island
During the trip over to the island Gerry on discovering that we were Melican's, informed us that in fact he was the son of Dhelia Melican and had grown up on the Island. He was also able to point out some of the houses Melican's had inhabited until recent times. One such house was inhabited by a Michael Melican, bachelor who left the island in about 1970, and died not long after.
Twenty minutes later we were disembarking on the island with to be met by the tour guide John Mulqueen. For the next hour or so John guided us around the many fascinating sites including the ruins of seven churches build over a period of 1000 years (the earliest one being 600AD). St Senan arrived on the Island at about that time to drive out the Pagens and to establish a monastic settlement. John was also able to explain that all seven churches were built so that the altar faced East to catch the morning sun. Some of the buildings including a church that dated back to 694 was remarkably intact. Narrow windows were still visible together with sculptured heads above the lintels. John explained that these building obviously predated glass so that the windows would have been covered in stretched pigskin to keep out some of the wild winds and cold, yet at the same time let in light to the buildings. It seems that the monastic settlements were on the Island until the 1600's.
The Melican connection to the Island started in the 1820's when a couple of them worked as river pilots for ships coming through the Shannon. John indicated that the work was actually quite lucarative as the Shannon was renowned as quite treacherous and difficult to navigate. An intricate knowledge of the ebbs and flows of the waterways was required (a skill which the current Melican clan seems to have lost).
The island has an ancient well called St Senan's Well which provided the Islanders with fresh water but was also purported to have healing powers. It was also a place of prayer for the Islanders if they were unable to cross the estuary to Kilrush for Mass. In 1913 a young girl of 13 was drowned in the well, called Christine Melican (but known as May). Interestingly the last person to be buried on Skattery Island was her sister Therese in 2007.
The island has a street known as the main street. Even though the buildings are in very poor condition there is more than enough still standing to get a feel of how the streetscape was during populous settlement.
My thoughts Kevin Melican (home Brisbane,Australia)
I had read a fair bit about scattery on the internet and seen pictures before the trip but getting out on to the island was a real buzz and exceeded any expectations. John Mulqueens knowledge of the island and its peoples history was terrific. The condition of the building and they are cared for is a credit to all those involved in this little piece of tranquility. On the day of our visit the weather was perfect which went hand in hand with the pristine Natural environment hardly affected by modern ways. My only disappointment was the short time spent on the island (about 1.5 hours) and hearing that just the before our visit an annual mass took place on the island attended by 120 people some of who may well have been our distant cousins.
Peter Melican (home Wangoom, Victoria, Australia)
I was very impressed with John's guided tour of Scattery Island. His knowledge and respect of the Island and its past inhabitants was very much appreciated.
The open landscape of Scattery IslandDuring the trip over to the island Gerry on discovering that we were Melican's, informed us that in fact he was the son of Dhelia Melican and had grown up on the Island. He was also able to point out some of the houses Melican's had inhabited until recent times. One such house was inhabited by a Michael Melican, bachelor who left the island in about 1970, and died not long after.
Twenty minutes later we were disembarking on the island with to be met by the tour guide John Mulqueen. For the next hour or so John guided us around the many fascinating sites including the ruins of seven churches build over a period of 1000 years (the earliest one being 600AD). St Senan arrived on the Island at about that time to drive out the Pagens and to establish a monastic settlement. John was also able to explain that all seven churches were built so that the altar faced East to catch the morning sun. Some of the buildings including a church that dated back to 694 was remarkably intact. Narrow windows were still visible together with sculptured heads above the lintels. John explained that these building obviously predated glass so that the windows would have been covered in stretched pigskin to keep out some of the wild winds and cold, yet at the same time let in light to the buildings. It seems that the monastic settlements were on the Island until the 1600's.
The Melican connection to the Island started in the 1820's when a couple of them worked as river pilots for ships coming through the Shannon. John indicated that the work was actually quite lucarative as the Shannon was renowned as quite treacherous and difficult to navigate. An intricate knowledge of the ebbs and flows of the waterways was required (a skill which the current Melican clan seems to have lost).
The island has an ancient well called St Senan's Well which provided the Islanders with fresh water but was also purported to have healing powers. It was also a place of prayer for the Islanders if they were unable to cross the estuary to Kilrush for Mass. In 1913 a young girl of 13 was drowned in the well, called Christine Melican (but known as May). Interestingly the last person to be buried on Skattery Island was her sister Therese in 2007.
The island has a street known as the main street. Even though the buildings are in very poor condition there is more than enough still standing to get a feel of how the streetscape was during populous settlement.
My thoughts Kevin Melican (home Brisbane,Australia)
I had read a fair bit about scattery on the internet and seen pictures before the trip but getting out on to the island was a real buzz and exceeded any expectations. John Mulqueens knowledge of the island and its peoples history was terrific. The condition of the building and they are cared for is a credit to all those involved in this little piece of tranquility. On the day of our visit the weather was perfect which went hand in hand with the pristine Natural environment hardly affected by modern ways. My only disappointment was the short time spent on the island (about 1.5 hours) and hearing that just the before our visit an annual mass took place on the island attended by 120 people some of who may well have been our distant cousins.
Peter Melican (home Wangoom, Victoria, Australia)
I was very impressed with John's guided tour of Scattery Island. His knowledge and respect of the Island and its past inhabitants was very much appreciated.
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