Abbey Island

3 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Abbey Island, from 1,025 m² to 367,754 m² (36.78 ha, 90.87 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 0 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Abbey Island in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.

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

No planning application touches the townland of Abbey Island in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

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: Kenmare River SAC 002158
• Special Protection Area: Iveragh Peninsula SPA 004154
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Darrynane Bay Islands And Marsh, Lamb's Head 001346

Recorded monuments

• KE106-077002 Graveyard
  Description

  Ahamore Abbey/Mainistir Achaidh Mhóir commonly called Derrynane Abbey, is situated in a roughly rectangular graveyard (KE106-077002-) on the NE edge of Abbey Island, on the W side of Derrynane Bay. Access to the island, which is 36ha in area, is gained by crossing a beach, though it is cut off from the mainland by certain high tides. The church is traditionally associated with St Finan (OSNB Kilcrohane, 38), though Smith notes an association with St Finbarr of Cork (1756, 94). The remains are reputedly those of an Augustinian abbey, which was regarded by Cox as a cell of Molana Abbey, Co. Waterford (in de Brún 1972, 36). This connection, however, cannot be substantiated. The site contains the family vault of the O'Connells of Darrynane and the grave of the eighteenth-century Gaelic poet, Tomás Rua Ó Suilleabháin. The site is annotated simply as 'Abbey' on the first edition of the OS map, where it is depicted as an unenclosed group of buildings. Extensive burials (KE106-077002-) in the church (KE106-077003-) have resulted in a considerable rise in internal ground level. A pile of rubble at the base of the E gable obscures an area of regular coursing, which may represent an altar. In 1841 the tombstone of the O'Connell family was recorded by John O'Donovan (1983, 156) and described as follows; 'On a tomb raised over a vault inside the abbey church [KE106-077003-] above described, is the following inscription: D.O.M. Sacred to the Memory of DANILL O'CONNELL Formerly of Derrinane, Esq., Who departed this life in the month of September 1770 Full of years and of virtues. And of Mary his wife. She also was of ancient race, Of the house of O'Donoghue; She survived her husband 22 years, And was a model for wives and mothers To admire and to imitate. Requiescant in pace Here also are deposited the nortal remains of MAURICE O'CONNELL ESQ., Their son, who erected this Monument. The chief ambition of his long and prosperous life Was to elevate an ancient family from unmerited and unjust oppression. His allegiance was pure and disinterested, His love of his native land sincere and avowed And his attachment to the ancient faith of his fathers, To the Church of Christ, Was his first pride, and his chiefest consolation. He died on the 10th day of February in the year 1825 In the 97th year of his age. They loved him most who knew him best. May his soul rest in eternal peace'. In 2009 a graveyard survey carried out by Ann Frykler and Robert Hanbidge of Headland Archaeology Ltd. on behalf of Kerry County Council, recorded the following details about the graveyard: ‘Abbey Island (Derrynane) Graveyard is located within the townland Abbey Island/Darrynane More, Co. Kerry, situated approximately 41km southwest of Kenmare and approximately 9km southeast of Waterville, on the lveragh Peninsula. It is overlooked to the north by the Macgillycuddy Reek Mountains, the closest summits being that of Farraniaragh (approximately 3 km to the north) and Cahernageeha (approximately 3.5 km to the northeast). The graveyard forms part of Ahamore or Darrvnane Abbey (KE106-077003-) and is situated on the northeast part of a small island in Derrynane Bay. The quay and boat house are probably associated with Darrynane Abbey/House (980m to NE), the home of Daniel O'Connell, political leader of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries who is famously called "The Liberator" for his role in Catholic Emancipation. A sand bar links the north of the island to the mainland and is generally passable for most of the year with the exception of very high tides and storm surges The graveyard for the most part follows a rectangular plan and is enclosed by a roughly dressed rubble stone wall with rubble stone coping. A cliff edge defines the eastern extremity of graveyard. There are two entrances located in the northwest corner of the graveyard. The primary north-facing entrance is for pedestrians and does not have a gate. The secondary, west-facing entrance is larger, accommodating the width of a vehicle and the gate is a standard galvanised field gate. Within the centre of the graveyard are the ruins of a church containing a piscina and associated outbuildings which are traditionally associated with Saint Finan. The most recent burial to date during the time of this survey dates to July 2009 and is located inside the church ruin (O'Sullivan et al, 1996, 334). The oldest grave recorded with a date of 1770 within the graveyard belongs to the O'Connell tomb (Grave no. 565) within which the family of Daniel O'Connell, The Liberator are interred. The graveyard wall varies in height throughout the graveyard, with an average height of around 1.25 m. There is no boundary wall defining the eastern side of the graveyard, except for a cliff face dropping to the ocean. There is however, a small section of wall to the northern area of the eastern side, which represents the foundation of a boundary wall which has subsequently collapsed. Rendered and rubble stone piers flank the entrances with rendered and rubbles stone capping respectively. There are two entrances to the graveyard; both are located at the northwest corner of the gravevard. The primary entrance which is located on the north wall consists of a rendered and rubble stone piers with rendered and rubble stone capping respectively. No gates remains, but there are hinges within the piers suggesting that that there was once a gate here at an earlier stage. Render steps form an approach to this primary entrance. The secondary (larger) entrance located in the western wall, consists of a pair of rubble stone piers with rubble stone capping supporting a galvanised field gate. There are only three tombs represented on Abbey Island burial ground; two of which are located in and next to the church and one is close to the entrance. The two named tombs (Grave No's: 092 and 565) within the graveyard represent the Galvin and O'Connell family's respectively and both are in good condition. The O'Connell tomb inters the family of Daniel O'Connell, The Liberator, who lived at Darrynane Abbey/House. This tomb also represents the oldest named grave with the date 1770. Partly illegible the date possibly refers to the father or uncle of Daniel O'Connell. The tomb comprises of two ornately carved tooled limestone altars with fluted pilasters enclosing decorative panels to the sides. An inscribed grave slab to the upper tomb is surmounted by fluted pilasters with scrolled consoles flanking a cross inscribed plaque to the west having a moulded architrave surmounted by a pointed-arch enclosing a second plaque with a carved urn motif tooled stone stepped approach to the east provides access to the top tomb. The tomb is beautifully ornate, constructed from high crafted tooled stone displaying classical inspired decoration and deserves a special mentioning for its appearance; the tomb is still in use with the most recent burial taking place in 2007. The unnamed tomb (Grave no. 559) is located adjacent to the southern wall of the church and is rectangular in profile with rubble stone walls. There are 189 inscribed headstones and plots within the graveyard and most of these are in good condition. The majority of the graves date to the 20th century, however there are more recent graves from the 21 century eg. Grave no. 013 from 2007 and Grave no. 560 from 2009. There are also three children's graves that are located in the east part of the graveyard overlooking Darrynane bay (Grave no's: 503, 504 and 506). There are 22 unnamed or illegible headstones and plots at Abbey Island. The majority of these are wrought iron or wooden crosses, but there are also heavily eroded stone crosses. The vast majority of graves at Abbey Island are plain unnamed gravemarkers; 351 in total were recorded, however due to tall grass and excessive overgrowth in some areas, especially to the south, some may have been overlooked' (Frykler and Hanbidge 2009, 5-10). See attached

• KE106-077003 Church
  Description

  Ahamore Abbey/Mainistir Achaidh Mhóir: The ruins of these buildings, commonly called Derrynane Abbey, are situated in a roughly rectangular graveyard [KE106-077002-] on the NE edge of Abbey Island [Oileán na Mainistreach], on the W side of Derrynane Bay, in the parish of Kilcrohane (Cill Chrócháin), Diocese of Ardfert (Kerry), Barony of Dunkerron South. Access to the island, which is 36ha in area, is gained by crossing a beach, though it is cut off from the mainland by certain high tides. The church is traditionally associated with St Finan (OSNB Kilcrohane, 38), though Smith notes an association with St Finbarr of Cork (1756, 94). The remains are reputedly those of an Augustinian abbey, which was regarded by Cox as a cell of Molana Abbey, Co. Waterford (de Brún 1972, 36). In the year 1477 there is a reference in the church taxation of the Diocese of Ardfert, to the Augustinian abbey of Molana (WA037-011001-), Co. Waterford, Diocese of Lismore and Donald O'Sullivan a canon of the said monastery who for several years held possession of the chapel of Aghamore and its taxes against the will of the abbot of Molana Abbey (O'Connell and Costello 1958, 25). In 1479 a papal letter sent to the bishop and treasurer of Ardfert concerning the petition of Donald O'Sullivan, clerk of the diocese of Ardfert, regarding the 'chapel of Akamory in the said diocese, which is sixty miles distant from the monastery of Molana (Insulla de Malannha), O.S.A., in the diocese of Lismore, to which it belongs, is served sometimes by canons of the said monastery, and sometimes by secular clerks, appointed at the pleasure of the abbot' (Cal. papal letters Vol. 13, 677). According to this petition Donald O'Sullivan stated that he was 'a canon of the said monastery' and had 'for several years held possession of the said chapel and its fruits etc., against the will of Leonard, the present abbot, turning the said fruits to his own damnable uses and detaining possession of the said chapel, publicly keeping a concubine, and seldom or never celebrating masses and other divine offices' (ibid.). According to Donald if he was awarded the fruits of the chapel, for his lifetime, 'he would do his best to expel the said occupier, and restore the said chapel and its rights etc. to the said monastery, and cause masses and other divine office to be celebrated therein' (ibid.). The site contains the family vault of the O'Connell's of Darrynane and the grave of the eighteenth-century Gaelic poet, Tomás Rua Ó Suilleabháin. The church ruins were described in 1841 by John O’Donovan (1983, 154-6) as; ‘The abbey church measures on the inside sixty feet [18.3m] in length and twenty feet seven inches [8.4m] in breadth, and its walls are two feet ten inches [0.86m] in thickness and ten feet two inches [3m] in height, and built of hammered green stone and lime and sand cement. The east gable has on it three windows round headed, and formed of small hammered stones on the inside but on the outside they are pointed and formed of cut stone. The middle window measures on the inside nine feet four inches [2.84m] in height and five feet five inches [1.65m] in width, and on the outside four feet eight inches [1.42m] by eleven and a half inches [0.29m]. The other two are exactly of the same dimensions measuring on the inside eight feet [2.4m] in height and four feet four inches [1.32m] in width and on the outside three feet five inches [1m] in height and eight and a half inches [0.21m] in width. At the distance of three feet ten inches [1.16m] from the east gable there is a window on the south wall which is now destroyed at the top, and at one side; it was formed of hammered stones on the inside, and of cut ones on the outside. On the north wall nearly opposite it there is a similar one in good preservation; it is placed at the distance of three feet six inches [1m] from the east gable and measures on the inside five feet eight inches [1.72m] in height and three feet six inches [1m] in width, and on the outside three feet six and a half inches [1m] in height and eight and a half inches [0.21m] in width. It is formed of hammered stones on the inside where it forms a segment arch at the top, and cut ones on the outside where it is semi-circular headed. At the distance of twenty feet [6m] from the west gable there is a doorway on the south wall formed on the outside of cut stone and inclining to a point, where it measures seven feet [2.1m] in height and three feet nine inches [1.1m] in width. It is quadrangular and covered at the top with a lintel on the inside where it has been repaired at no distant period. At the distance of fifteen feet nine inches [4.8m] from the west gable there is on the north wall another doorway, which is constructed of hammered stones on the inside where it forms a segment arch at the top and measures seven feet [2.1m] in height and four feet nine inches [1.44m] in width, but on the outside, where it was formed of cut stone, as appears from a few remaining, it is now entirely disfigured. There was a window on the west gable near the top, now closed up with rude mason work. At the distance of eleven feet eight inches [3.5m] from this door to the east there is a window on the north wall, which is semi-circular headed on both sides, and formed of hammered stones on the inside and of cut ones on the outside; it measures on the inside four feet seven inches [1.4m] in height and two feet nine inches [0.83m] in width, and on the outside three feet one inch [0.93m] by seven and a half inches [0.19m]. It is somewhat injured at present. A cross or lateral house extends from the south-east part of this church; it is built of the same kind of stones and in the same style and Is no doubt coeval with the church; it measures on the inside thirty-six feet eight inches [11.2m] in length and thirteen feet seven inches [4.1m] in breadth, and its side walls are nine feet six inches [2.9m] in height and two feet nine inches [0.83m] in thickness. There are two recesses in the east wall at the north gable, and in the middle of the east wall is a doorway formed of hammered stones in a rude style, rectangular at the top and covered with a lintel on the inside and semi-circular on the outside where it is formed of thin flags; it measures on the inside five feet five inches [1.65m] in height and four feet [1.2m] in width, and on the outside four feet two inches [1.26m] in height and two feet eight inches [0.81m] in width. This house was lighted by two small quadrangular windows on the east wall between the doorway and the south gable and the other at the north gable, both formed of hammered stones in a rude style, and now much injured. There is a recess in the west wall near the south gable; and there is a large breach on the west wall towards the middle. Another small building extending east and west is attached to the west end of the last mentioned house, its south wall being parallel with the south gable of the same; it measures thirty-two feet six inches [9.9m] in length and thirteen feet five inches [4m] in breadth, and was built of the same materials with the church. Its side walls are now nearly destroyed, but its gables are standing in good preservation’. The site is annotated simply as 'Abbey' on the first edition of the OS map, where it is depicted as an unenclosed group of buildings. In 1985, excavations were undertaken c. 15m outside the present graveyard wall at NW (Power and Doody 1988, 166-70). These uncovered the foundation courses of a slightly curving stone wall, 0.7m below present ground level. They had a maximum height of 1.45m and averaged 0.63m wide. At one point a dark brown sandy layer, containing charcoal flecks and mortar, abutted its base. The wall may have served as an early boundary for the site. A well and a shell midden were also uncovered, and although their stratigraphic relationships with the other features were not established, they are considered to have been associated w

• KE106-077004 Well
  Description

  Ahamore Abbey/Mainistir Achaidh Mhóir commonly called Derrynane Abbey, is situated in a roughly rectangular graveyard (KE106-077002-) on the NE edge of Abbey Island, on the W side of Derrynane Bay. Access to the island, which is 36ha in area, is gained by crossing a beach, though it is cut off from the mainland by certain high tides. The church is traditionally associated with St Finan (OSNB Kilcrohane, 38), though Smith notes an association with St Finbarr of Cork (1756, 94). The remains are reputedly those of an Augustinian abbey, which was regarded by Cox as a cell of Molana Abbey, Co. Waterford (de Brún 1972, 36). The site contains the family vault of the O'Connells of Darrynane and the grave of the eighteenth-century Gaelic poet, Tomás Rua Ó Suilleabháin. The site is annotated simply as 'Abbey' on the first edition of the OS map, where it is depicted as an unenclosed group of buildings. In 1985, excavations were undertaken c. 15m outside the present graveyard wall at NW (Power and Doody 1988, 166-70). These uncovered the foundation courses of a slightly curving stone wall, 0.7m below present ground level. The wall may have served as an early boundary for the site. A well (KE106-077004-) and a shell midden (KE106-077005-) were also uncovered, and although their stratigraphic relationships with the other features were not established, they are considered to have been associated with the ecclesiastical remains. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 1084. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 31 July 2013

• KE106-077005 Midden
  Description

  Ahamore Abbey/Mainistir Achaidh Mhóir commonly called Derrynane Abbey, is situated in a roughly rectangular graveyard (KE106-077002-) on the NE edge of Abbey Island, on the W side of Derrynane Bay. Access to the island, which is 36ha in area, is gained by crossing a beach, though it is cut off from the mainland by certain high tides. The church is traditionally associated with St Finan (OSNB Kilcrohane, 38), though Smith notes an association with St Finbarr of Cork (1756, 94). The remains are reputedly those of an Augustinian abbey, which was regarded by Cox as a cell of Molana Abbey, Co. Waterford (de Brún 1972, 36). The site contains the family vault of the O'Connells of Darrynane and the grave of the eighteenth-century Gaelic poet, Tomás Rua Ó Suilleabháin. The site is annotated simply as 'Abbey' on the first edition of the OS map, where it is depicted as an unenclosed group of buildings. In 1985, excavations were undertaken c. 15m outside the present graveyard wall at NW (Power and Doody 1988, 166-70). These uncovered the foundation courses of a slightly curving stone wall, 0.7m below present ground level. The wall may have served as an early boundary for the site. A well (KE106-077004-) and a shell midden (KE106-077005-) were also uncovered, and although their stratigraphic relationships with the other features were not established, they are considered to have been associated with the ecclesiastical remains. The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 1084. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 31 July 2013

• KE106-077006 Excavation - miscellaneous
  Description

  For descriptive account see O'Sullivan and Sheehan (1996, 344, no. 1084, 'In 1988, excavations were undertaken c. 15m outside the present graveyard wall…'). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Kerry. Volume I: South-West Kerry' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 30 May 2011

• KE106-129 Midden
  Description

  This small midden is exposed in section on the N shoreline of Abbey Island, on the W side of Darrynane Bay. Measuring 4m long and .2m in maximum thickness, it is composed of limpet and periwinkle shells in a band of dark brown, stony soil. It is overlain by .6m of sand (information: M. Mullins). The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 1. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Abbey 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, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Abbey 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 Abbey Island with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Kerry.

Name

Abbey Island · Oileán na Mainistreach

Area

371,461 m² (37.15 ha, 91.79 acres)

Civil parish

Kilcrohane, and its townlands

Barony

Dunkerron South

Electoral division

Darrynane, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Darrynane electoral division: 193 people in 82 households; 86% of households own their home; 19% of homes were built since 2001; 4% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 65% were holiday homes.

Placenames

Abbey 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.