Inchcleraun Island

Just off the shore of Lough Ree, the peaceful island of Inchcleraun (from the Gaelic Inis Clothrann) is named after Clothra, an ancient mythical figure. Clothra was the sister of Queen Maeve who, old legend has it, was killed by a stone fired from the sling of Fergus, when she was bathing in the lake.

Known locally as “Quaker Island”, it is one of the largest and more historically interesting islands of the many on the lake.

A monastery founded by St. Diarmaid in 540 AD still stands there, along with the remains of six churches.

St. Diarmaid (or Dermot) was the teacher of St. Ciaran, founder of the Ireland’s famous Clonmacnoise monastery. Between 800 and 1300 the island and its churches were repeatedly plundered and burned by invaders. One of the churches has an unusual feature called a clogas, or square belfry, which is attached to the main building. Most churches of this era have round towers, which are separate from the main building – with the other exception being the one in Clonmacnois.

The clogas is located on the north side of the island, and is visible from the shoreline.

The smallest church on the island is called Templedermot, the largest being Templemurray. According to local superstition, any woman who enters Templemurray will meet her death twelve months!