Devenish Island
Small island of Northern Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Devenish or Devinish[1] (from Irish Daimhinis, meaning 'ox island') is a lake island in Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Aligned roughly north–south, it is about one and a quarter miles (2.0 km) long and two-thirds of a mile (1.1 km) wide.
Monastic site on Devenish Island | |
  Location within Northern Ireland | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lower Lough Erne |
| Coordinates | 54°22′20.31″N 7°39′27.51″W |
| Area | 0.498 km2 (0.192 sq mi) |
| Length | 2 km (1.2 mi) |
| Width | 1.1 km (0.68 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 64.3 m (211 ft) |
| Highest point | Sour Hill |
| Administration | |
Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) | |
The island is the site of an early Christian monastery and round tower.[2] It is historically associated with Saint Mo Laisse who is reputed to have founded the monastery in the 6th century.[2] At one point there were up to 1500 religious scholars at Devenish.[3] It possibly belonged to the Culdee order.[4] The settlement, which was raided by Vikings in the 9th century, was burned in 1157.[2] The round tower is 81 feet high with four small windows at the top facing the four cardinal points. Above each window is a finely carved head and a cornice that runs around the top of the tower.[3] There are also examples of 15th century stone crosses on the island.[5]
The island, which is accessible by ferry, is in the civil parish of Devenish.[6] The places to catch a ferry include Trory Point and The Round O, outside Enniskillen.[7] Devenish Island is owned by the Kilravock Christian Trust.[8]
Area of Special Scientific Interest
Devenish Island is designated as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) for its grassland, which is noted as a significant breeding site location for wading birds, including Curlew, Snipe, Redshank and Lapwing.[9]
Its drumlin landscape also allows communities of scarce plant types to grow there.[9]
