Lough Corrib (lock cor-EEB) is the largest lake in the Republic of Ireland. If you've visited the city of Galway, you've seen its southern reaches; from there, it stretches north 40 miles to the town of Connemara and the region some call Ireland's Lake District. Indeed, Lough Corrib ("lough" being the Gaelic word for "lake," similar to the Scottish "loch" as in "Loch Ness") is separated from Ireland's second largest lake, Lough Mask, by a mere narrow isthmus of land. Together, the two comprise 108 square miles of some of the most pleasurable boating and fishing waters in the world.
The Islands Of Lough Corrib If you want to fish from an island, you'll have plenty of choices on Lough Corrib, as there are 365 islands on the lake -- "one for every day of the year," as the locals like to say. Few of the islands are inhabited today, and all are protected by the Irish government.
Inchagoill Island is no longer inhabited, but is the most visited of the islands due to the presence of some wonderfully preserved and easily accessible monastic ruins. Evidence of the island's religious significance and human inhabitance dates back to the fifth century. It was inhabited by four families when it was purchased in 1852 by Sir Benjamin Guinness as part of the nearby Ashford Castle estate. Over the years, people once inhabiting the islands left due to the hard life of isolation, the vicissitudes of weather, and the difficulty of farming and communications. Today, no development is allowed on these protected islands.
Inchagoill Island's Ruins The remnants of two principal Christian structures remain on Inchagoill Island: fifth century St. Patrick's Church and 12th century Church of the Saints. The two are in close proximity to one another, and a very short walk from the boat dock.
Perhaps more significant than the remains of the church building is the small stone monolith situated at the edge of the adjacent graveyard. The so-called Stone of Lugna is said to bear the second-oldest Christian inscription in all of Europe (the oldest being in the catacombs of Rome), giving this site special archaeological significance. The stone's inscription remains startlingly legible (particularly if you can read Old Gaelic) despite the passage of nearly 1,600 years: "Lia Limanian Macc Lmenueh," or "The Standing Stone of Lugna, Son of Limanin." It is widely believed the Limanin was the sister of St. Patrick, and it is known that St. Patrick's nephew was also his navigator. Therefore the stone's inscription lends credence to the exiled saint and navigator nephew theory.
A convenient way to reach Inchagoill Island is via the Isle of Innisfree sightseeing boat that docks just outside the gates of Ashford Castle. Captain Luskin and his crew provide an informative and economical tour of the lake and island.
Sally O'Neal has written weekly for sportsmansguide.com since 2000. She wishes to thank Patrick Luskin, author of "A Voyage of Discovery: The History of Ashford Castle and Lough Corrib" and skipper of the good ship "Isle of Innisfree," for his sizeable contributions to the facts and folklore herein.