Lambay Island

No registered freehold parcel touches this townland in the file of Tailte Éireann.

• G3HA - High Amenity (Conservation, amenity or buffer space, corridor/belt, landscape)
  The Fingal Development Plan 2023 – 2029, Fingal · 0 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 31 Mar 2025Grant permission

  The development will consist of :

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/0264

• 24 Mar 2025Invalid application

  Protected Structure. The development will consist of: The conversion

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F25A/0250

• 20 Dec 2024Grant permission

  Planning permission is sought for the installation of additional plant

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F24A/1183

• 13 Mar 2020Grant permission

  Change of use of Potting Shed adjacent to walled garden from storage t

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F19A/0227

• 1 Aug 2014Grant permission

  Development at the castle and guest wing (a Protected Structure and sc

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F14A/0307

• 18 Feb 2014Grant permission

  Permission for works to protected structure and within the curtilage o

  Permission · Fingal County Council, F13A/0253

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: Rockabill to Dalkey Island SAC 003000
• Special Area of Conservation: Lambay Island SAC 000204
• Special Protection Area: Lambay Island SPA 004069
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Lambay Island 000204

Recorded monuments

• DU009-001001 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  This impressive, well preserved promontory fort is situated above a steep cliff at Gouge Point at the NW end of the Island. It is known as the Garden Fort. There are three lines of defences, on the landward and seaward side respectively. This natural headland is cut off on the landward side and highest point by a contiguous series of three banks which are stone faced and two intervening rock-cut fosses. They comprise an outer bank which is denuded by a modern field boundary (Wth 3.7m, D 075m) associated with an internal fosse (Wth 1.7m, D 1.50m); a middle bank which is flat-topped (Wth at base 4.5m, H 3m), a second fosse (Wth 2.7m, D 1.50m) and an inner bank which is the best preserved and most prominent (Wth 7 m, H 4.5m). Approximately 20m to the N on the seaward side of the headland is the inner line of defence which stop c. 2m from the E side of the headland leaving a causeway through the defences. These works comprise two banks with intervening fosse, inner bank is stone-faced (Wth 2m, H 1.50m) with intervening fosse (Wth 2.75m, D2m) and outer bank which may be the remains of a collapsed stone wall (Wth.1.50m, H 0.3m). There is a section of fosse (Wth 2m, D 0.70m) which was cut into the W side of the headland immediately S of the inner works (Westropp 1922, 68-70, Healy 1975, 22; Scantlebury 1945, 85-6; Cooney 2009, 20). Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) of the promontory was carried out by The Discovery Programme for the LIARI Project in two small areas. The first between the outer ditch and middle bank did not reveal any new features. The second area surveyed, immediately east of the middle rampart recorded an area (5m diam.) of responses that may denote burning. A band of responses (2m diam.) that extends at right angles and corresponds with a low-lying topographical feature mapped by aerial photogrammetry may also be of archaeological potential (Dowling 2014, 12). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001002 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  This circular cairn is situated in a prominent position on the N side of Lambay Island. It stands on the summit of a rock outcrop, the highest point on Lambay and overlooks the W end of the island. Its natural position exaggerates the scale of the monument (Diam. Base 27m, Top 4.10m , H 9m; ). The S face falls steeply and the N face falls to a natural ledge in the bedrock. It is grass covered with loose boulders visible. There are no kerbstones evident. It has a round profile with a narrow flat-top which may have been created when a trignometrical station was inserted (Westropp 1922, 70; Cooney 1993, 24-5). A transect of geophysical survey across the cairn did not reveal any internal structures (Cooney 2009, 160). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001003 Burial ground
  Description

  In the SW point of Lambay Island excavations in 1995 revealed a multiple grave containing five young adult males and an adolscent dating to c. 1500 AD (Cooney 1996, 25-26). Further investigations in 2002 indicated a second grave. This contained an intact, extended E-W inhumation. A fragment of textile and an iron rivet cap were found adjacent to the lower right limb bones (Cooney 2003, 170-171). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001004 Midden
  Description

  Excavations at The Point in the SW corner of Lambay Island in 1995 revealed a layer of pebbles intermixed with animal bones and a rimsherd of 'B' Ware (Cooney 1996, 25-26). This overlay burials (DU009-010003-). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001005 House - fortified house
  Description

  Located in level terrain in the west end of the Island. This castle may incorporate the fortress built on Lambay in 1467 on land leased to John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester, Lord Deputy for Edward IV which would prevent pirates harbouring there and plundering traffic on the Irish Sea. The castle with its four projecting angle towers was later incorporated by Lutyens in the early 20th century as an integral element of his design for a new castle (Brown 1996, 99-103). It stands two storeys high with angle towers or bastions constructed at such an angle to defend all of the walls (Cooney 1993, 27; Scantlebury 1945, 88-89). Triangular shaped musket holes in the angle towers provide flanking cover and indicate a 16th/17th century date. The ground floor has a main chamber which is rectangular in plan (L .90m, Wth 4.50m) and entered through a doorway in the E. There is a fireplace in the E wall (Wth 2.45m, H 1.20m, D 0.76m) and a splayed window embrasure in the W wall. The W wall of the main chamber (T1.30m) is thicker than the other walls suggesting that it may be part of an earlier structure. Originally, all the angle towers in the SW (L 4.50m, Wth 3.60m); NW (L 4.90m, Wth 3.75), SE (4.60m. Sq. ) and NE were accessible from the main chamber. However, access to the SW angle tower off the main chamber was removed by the insertion of a fireplace in its NW angle and the NE corner of the castle has been re-modelled to incorporate a later drawing room. Interiors of the angle towers have been squared off internally but splay externally. The first floor chamber has been partitioned to create a hallway in the N. All towers contain fireplaces at this level. Each angle tower has a crow-foot gable and each gable supports a chimney. The exterior of the castle is rendered making identification of structural features difficult. In advance of proposed development an architectural conservation plan has been undertaken. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001006 Moated site
  Description

  Located on level, sheltered pasture in the west of the Island. Comprises a rectangular area aligned NW- SE (L 40m, Wth 28m) which is defined by an inner and outer bank with interveening fosse. There is a narrow causeway through the banks and fosse midway along the E side (Wth 3.50m). The outer flat-topped bank is best preserved along the N side (H 1.20m, Wth at base 4.40m, Top 2.40m) but is denuded in the SE. It has been badly damaged in the S. The inner fosse is wide and flat-bottomed, broadest in the S (Wth 5.20m, D.0.28) and deepest in the W (D 0.85m). The inner bank has raised corners with the exception of that in the NE where it has been partially removed. It is best preserved in the W (Wth at base 10.20m, Top 4m, H 0.80m). The interior has been cultivated. In the twelfth century Lambay was granted to the Archbishop of Dublin shortly after the Anglo-Norman invasion. The rectilinear earthwork with a broad ditch lying to the S of the present castle was probably built sometime after this (Scantlebury 1945, 88). Geophysical survey (Licence no. 03R0074) in the area showed that the moated site respects a double circular enclosure associated with the church (DU009-001007-). The inner area of the moated site is lower than exterior. The fosse is under long grass. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001007 Church
  Description

  There is a record of a monastery being founded on the island by the abbot of Iona in 635 AD and the deaths of later abbots are mentioned in the Annals (Cooney 1993, 27, Herbert 1996, 42). A patent of confirmation for a chantry chapel on the island dates from 1337 (Scantlebury 1945, 87). The RC chapel was built in 1833 on the site of the earlier church leaving no visible trace (Healy 1975, 22). The small stone built church with a Lutyens Doric portico is within a small oval hedged enclosure which contains the family burials and those of the Tayleur victims. Geophysical survey (Licence no. 03R0074) has shown this hedged enclosure to be enclosed by at least two other ditched enclosures. Cognisance of the presence of these outer enclosures was taken when the moated site (DU009-001006-) was constructed to the east. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001008 Burial ground
  Description

  Extended inhumations of probable Early Christian date in stone-lined graves were found during the building of the White House south of the harbour in the 1930's (Cooney 1993, 27). Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) of the White house garden was carried out by The Discovery Programme for the LIARI Project but did not identify anything of archaeological interest (Dowling 2014, 12). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001010 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  Indicated on Duncan's map (1821). Situated at the W end of an elongated rock outcrop on Tinians Hill in the centre of Lambay Island. This is a relatively small, low circular cairn (Diam.3.50m, H 0.60m) which lies on the W end of an oblong, flat-topped cairn (L. 20.30m, Wth 16.20m, H 3m; Cooney , 2009, 17). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU009-001011 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Situated in the centre of Lambay Island (Reachrainn) in the parish of Portraine.  Knockbane with hilltop cairn (DU009-001002-) 230m to the N,  Tinian Hill 500m to the E,  Lambay Church (DU009-001007- ), graveyard and castle site  (DU009-001006-) 700m to the W.  A  spring well, annotated 'Trinity Well' on the OSi historic maps, is the only source of freshwater on Lambay Island. In 1786 the Post-Chaise Companion recorded that ; 'on Trinity Sunday, every year, there is a great concourse of people from the adjacent shores, where they visit a curious well and spring of fine water, dedicated to the Holy Trinity' (Wilson 1786, 305).  Anne Plumptre wrote in 1814-15 that; 'There is a well on the island dedicated to the Holy Trinity, which is very much visited on Trinity Sunday' (Plumptre 1817, 80).  Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Western Christian liturgical calendar (Healy 1975, 22; Ó Danachair 1958, 81; Coghlan 1946, 157-159; Scantlebury 1945, 81). The well is fenced off and covered in vegetation. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

• DU009-001012 Burial
  Description

  During improvements to the harbour in 1927 two crouched inhumations accompanied by objects that date them to the first century AD were discovered. One of these is a warrior with his iron sword and shield and objects such as an iron mirror indicate that a female burial was also present. An extensive range of Neolithic flint artifacts, stone axes, an adze and decorated pottery were discovered at the site (MacAlister, 1929, 240-246; Cooney 2009, 19-20). Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) was carried out by The Discovery programme for the LIARI Project in the vicinity of the burial site. Faint traces of a possible oval feature were identified nearby but cannot be linked in any definitive way with the cemetery (Dowling 2014, 10). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001013 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Located at Scotch Point and above Broad Bay in the NW corner of the Island with extensive views of the North County Dublin coastline. The ground falls to the W. The promontory fort is created by a low broad counterscarp bank which runs across the narrow neck of the headland (L 43m, Wth 13.50, H 1.20m) cutting off the S approach at the neck of the promontory. This bank is best preserved in the E but spreads with the falling ground in the W. There is an external ditch (Wth 8.40m, D 0.55m). Sandstone outcrops along the N perimeter of the headland. There is a landing place in the NE end of the headland. Geophysical survey (Licence no. 03R0074) undertaken either side of the single bank and ditch cutting off the southern approach identified two ring barrows externally, one visible as a low level surface feature (DU009-001014-) and circular structures within (Cooney 2009, 21). Further geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) of the promontory was carried out by The Discovery Programme for the LIARI Project which confirmed the presence of previously identified internal circular anomalies (Dowling 2014). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001014 Barrow - ring-barrow
  Description

  Geophysical survey (Licence no. 03R0074) undertaken identified two ring barrows external to the bank pf promontory fort (DU009-001013-) and circular structures within (Cooney 2009, 21). Further geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) of the promontory was carried out by The Discovery Programme for the LIARI Project which confirmed the presence of previously identified internal circular anomalies (Dowling 2014). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 31 December 2014

• DU009-001015 Mound
  Description

  Excavations between 1997 and 2001 on a site termed the Eagle's Nest in the eastern valley on Lambay Island revealed a deliberately created low mound. This monument comprises a series of pits which were covered by stones and layers of sediment incorporating stone settings. A hoard with an Orcadian type macehead was found in the make-up (Cooney 2003, 126-128). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU009-001016 Axe factory
  Description

  Excavations in a valley running NW-SE beside an upland area on Lambay Island revealed an axe working area that started around 3800BC. All stages of axe production were represented. The associated tools were also present inluding large cobbles of conglomerate and granite to break off the outcrop and hammerstones used in roughing out the axes. Finds include porphyry debitage, struck flints, hamerstones, rubbers and Neolithic pottery (Cooney 1998.57-9; 1993, 28). The Eagle's Nest is the first quarry site recognised in ireland or Britain where hammering and pecking was the primary technology (Cooney 2009, 13). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU009-001017 Enclosure
  Description

  Situated on a terrace, with land rising to the West behind and dropping to the east below the site. A magnetometer survey indicated the presence of an elongated oval or sub-rectangular structure with a strong area of burning (Cooney 2009, 15). The monument was not visible on field inspection. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU009-001021 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  Situated in Thorn Chase valley between Heath Hill in the S and Tinians Hill in the N. It overlooks Seal Hole in the E. Restricted view to the W. It is grass covered with cairn material visible in the E. There are no kerbstones evident (diam. 14m, H 0.95m). It has a steeper profile on the N face than the S. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU009-001023 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  Low denuded cairn on a natural rise above Kelly's Rock on the N side of the Island (L 11m, Wth 7m, H 0.60m). There are no kerbstones evident. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU009-001024 Cairn - unclassified
  Description

  This oblong cairn is located on a rock outcrop above Talbots Bay in the W side of the Island (L 13m, Wth 9.50m, H 1.10m). There are no kerbstones evident. There is an artifically raised area to the SE (L12m, Wth 8m) which may be spread cairn material. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Date of upload: 26 August 2011

• DU009-001026 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Possible promontory fort described by Casey (2003, 16) as follows; ‘A broad lowlying headland on the southwestern shore of Lambay shows signs of having been cut off from the mainland by two filled-in ditches and levelled earthen banks 6m apart running straight across the wide isthmus. The exact nature of the feature is unclear; the most likely explanation is that this was simply a levelled field boundary. However, the existence of both features parallel to one another suggest that this may be the remains of widely-spaced defensive banks cutting off the promontory. The surrounding area consists of landscaped gardens and fertile pasture, and the site is overlooked by a medieval moated site some 130m inland. The interior is featureless and the sea is easily accessible from within.’

• DU009-001027 Enclosure
  Description

  Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) undertaken by The Discovery Programme for the ‘Late Iron Age and “Roman” Ireland’ project, identified a series of features at South Point. One of the most striking is an enclosure (50m diam.) defined by a ditch and/or palisade (1m width) N of a series of ring ditches (DU009-001028-) (Dowling 2014, 9). Compiled by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 5 February 2015

• DU009-001028 Flat cemetery
  Description

  Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) undertaken by The Discovery Programme for the ‘Late Iron Age and “Roman” Ireland’ project, identified a series of features at South Point. A total of six annular, penannular and arcuate features with diameters ranging from 7m to 16m, some of which overlap were identified. On the basis of their size, form and layout, these features can be provisionally described as ring-ditches (Dowling 2014, 9). Compiled by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 5 February 2015

• DU009-001029 Enclosure
  Description

  Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) undertaken by The Discovery Programme for the ‘Late Iron Age and “Roman” Ireland’ project, identified an enclosure c. 20m from the Iron Age burials at the harbour (DU009-001012-). The enclosure (c. 40m diam.) is oval in plan (Dowling 2014, 10). Compiled by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 5 February 2015

• DU009-001030 Enclosure
  Description

  Geophysical survey (Licence no. 12R078) was undertaken by The Discovery Programme for the ‘Late Iron Age and “Roman” Ireland’ project, to investigate an enclosure identified on photogrammetry imagery in rough pasture to the NE of the summit of Knockbane. The oval enclosure (40m N-S x 35m E-W) has two low earthen banks adjoining it to the NE and SW. Geophysical survey identified a semi-circular arc about 8m in diameter, which adjoins or overlaps with the enclosure on the E. (Dowling 2014, 13). Compiled by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 5 February 2015

• DU009-001031 Habitation site
  Description

  Geophysical survey (Licence no. 13R0049) undertaken in advance of proposed development, identified a group of circular features (c. 5m diam.). Test-excavation (Licence no. 13E0147) confirmed archaeological features continued into the adjacent field. Based on their location on a natural terrace in close proximity to a water source with good visibility and shelter, these have been interpreted as representing domestic activity, houses or working platforms (O’Carroll 2013, 17). Compiled by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 5 February 2015

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Lambay Island.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility high, moderately high, moderately low, moderately low (inferred), low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are made ground.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Lambay Island.

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Lambay Island with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Dublin.

Name

Lambay Island · Reachrainn

Area

2,490,741 m² (249.07 ha, 615.48 acres)

Civil parish

Portraine, and its townlands

Barony

Nethercross

Electoral division

Donabate, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Donabate electoral division: 11,783 people in 3,900 households; 79% of households own their home; 50% of homes were built since 2001; 3% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 2% were holiday homes.

Placenames

Lambay Island on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.