Inishturk

Categories: Ireland geography stubs | Islands of Ireland

Inishturk (Inis Toirc in Irish) is an inhabited island off the coast of County Mayo in Ireland. Its name in Irish means Wild Boar Island. It has a permanent population of about seventy people. There are two main settlements, both on the more sheltered eastern end of the island. The southern village (the "West Side") is noted for a desire among some inhabitants to join with County Galway to the south, although so far no progress has been made. Secessionist sentiment is much weaker in the main village by the harbour. There is a regular ferry from Roonagh pier. Some inhabitants are descended from evacuees from Inishark to the southwest. A social club is situated on the hill that separates the two settlements. The British built a Martello tower on the western coast during the Napoleonic Wars. Inishturk has the highest per capita donation rate towards the RNLI in the whole of Ireland.