Inishbiggle

The island is situated between the northeast of Achill Island and the mainland, and is accessed by boat from either Doran's point at Ballycroy or Bullsmouth, Dooniver on Achill Island. The island is 2½ km x 1½ km, or 650 acres (2.6 km²) in area.

The main activities are sheep and cattle farming, fishing and winkle picking.^{[citation needed]} Facilities on the island included a school and a post office, both now closed.

Plans to build a cable-car link across the Bullsmouth Channel, one of the strongest currents in Europe which separates the island from Achill, had been under discussion since 1996, but have now been abandoned. Planning permission for the cablecar was denied by Mayo County Council, on the grounds that, "It would be visually obtrusive in an area of special scenic importance, that it would create traffic problems and that it would devalue houses in the vicinity."^[3]

Unpredictable currents in the channel during winter months can render the island inaccessible, even though the passage during fair weather is about ten minutes in the traditional boat, the currach.^{[citation needed]} Emergency access is by helicopter.^{[citation needed]}

The table below reports data on Inishbiggle's population taken from Discover the Islands of Ireland (Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and the Census of Ireland.

In 2023 it was reported that the population dropped to 8.

• Nevins

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  Potato Labour Scandal 1971

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  Ulster Scots dialects