Talk:Ballinskelligs
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[edit]From The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland printed in 1846 and copied from the digitized copy released by the google book search link :
BALLINASKELLIGS, or BALLINSKELLIGS, a bay washing partly the barony of Dunkerrin on the south, but chiefly that of Iveragh on the east and north, co. Kerry, Munster. It enters between Hog Head on the east and Bolus Head on the west, and is about 5 miles broad between these promontories ; and, with slowly diminishing breadth, it sweeps inland to the extent of about 6 miles. The Inny rivulet, 11 miles in length of course, enters its head ; and several smaller streams enter its sides. The Hog islands, and several other islets, lie from 2 3/4 to 4 3/4 miles south of Hog Head, and serve to break the swell of the Atlantic, and diversify the seaward scenery of the bay. Horse Island lies about 3 miles inward from each of the sentinel headlands, but pretty near the Iveragh shore. A rock in the bay, called Carrig Irrana, or Irr's Rock, claims traditionally and in song to be the grave of Irr, one of the original Milesian chiefs,--or the place on which his body was cast, and his bones whitened, after he was drowned in the western main. The whole bay is much diversified and lifted to grandeur by its bold headlands ; and it laves a district so wild and magnificent in character, so intricate in outline, so noble and even sublime in contour, as to constitute quite a gallery of mountain and marine landscape. " Though the roads in the district," says Mr. Fraser, " are in many places rugged and steep, and the only accommodation a small public-house in the village of Waterville, yet in summer the splendid views which are obtained will amply repay those fond of marine and mountain scenery. * * The Skelligs rocks lie about 10 miles to seaward. On the Great Skellig, which is a lofty rock of slate rising several hundred feet above the level of the sea, two lighthouses have been erected ; and the men appointed to the charge of them are regularly provisioned for six months. This rock, rising high above the billowy Atlantic, and crowned with its tall white towers, appears not merely as a beacon to the mariner, but as a sentinel of the long line of iron-bound coast. The dark colour of the vast unbroken heathy surface of the headland of Iveragh, adds much to its wild and desolate character, and at the same time contrasts with the deep blue ocean which rolls along the whole extent of its rocky shores." Lady Chatterton, in 1838, says, " The extensive bay of Ballinskelligs, peaceful as it looks, is said to be the most dangerous on this coast; and the harbour which goes by the same name, formed by a small island, has been, as a guide told us, ' outlawed,' that is, as he explained, declared to be unsafe." The harbour referred to by her ladyship, is on the west side of the bay, contiguous to Ballinaskelligs island, and about - 4 1/4, miles from Bolus Head ; and is provided with a regular pier of 172 feet in length, constructed and improved by various grants from government, from the Fishery Board, and from the Dublin Charitable Committee. Mr. Donnel, in his report on the Fishery Harbours, says, " I place this harbour in the second class for its degree of utility in promoting the fisheries ;" and he states that fish abound in the vicinity, and that the coast fishermen were improving in their exertions. According to an official 'Abstract of Reports,' in 1833, the pier is " much used by fishing-vessels, and also for landing sea-manure, from the use of large quantities of which the neighbouring country, for a distance of about 7 miles round, is improving much." At the head of the bay stands the village of WATERVILLE, and on a creek projecting from it stands DERRYNANE ABBEY : see these articles.