THE ISLANDS
Off the coast to the west lie the beautiful and tranquil islands of Inis Glora, Dubh Oilean Mor, Inishkea North and Inishkea South, all of which are steeped in history and where monasteries flourished in Early Christian Times. St. Brendan the Navigator established a monastery on Inis Glora and the remains of his church are still evident. This island is rich in archaeological material dating to the Early Christian Period including St Brendan’s Well, a beehive hut, a nunnery, decorated cross-slabs, a 9 ft high pillar stone and various other flat tombstones. According to legend it is said to be the final resting place of the children of Lir. A spell was cast on these four children whereby they were turned into swans and were forced to accept this fate until they regained their human form some 900 years later.

Duvillaun Mór which is accessible only in calm weather also contains ecclesiastical remains including a monastic enclosure, a holy well, beehive huts and cross slabs.

THE INISHKEAS – NORTH AND SOUTH
The Inishkeas were home to a thriving fishing community until disaster struck on 28thOctober 1927. Ten fishermen were lost at sea on that fateful night. They were subsequently buried at Fál Mór. There were two survivors. The islands were deserted thereafter as the islanders moved to the mainland and settled at Fál Mór and Glosh.

St Colmcille founded a monastery on Inishkea North in the Early Christian Period between the sixth and tenth century A.D. Three large mounds, known as the Baileys

Guided Tour of Inishkea South with Archaeologist Michael Gibbons

stand out to the east, the biggest of which is known as the ‘Bailey Mór’.

This contains a mixture of shells, animal bones and sand. By far the most common shell present is the ‘purple purpura’ which the monks used to produce a purple ink, and this was used to illuminate the manuscripts. The ink was exported from here to other monastic sites. Cross slabs were discovered on top of this mound one of which depicted a stylized crucifixion scene. Among the other archaeological remains on the island are St Colmcille’s church, a holy well, beehive huts and a variety of cross- slabs.
Inishkea South also contains a wealth of archaeological material dating to the Early Christian Period including cross-slabs and a holy well dedicated to St Deirbhile.

Both of these islands contain shell middens, which are mounds containing a mixture of burnt shells and charcoal layers. These are antiquated refuse heaps which are difficult to date accurately as they were used over an extended period of time, stretching from the Neolithic (c. 5000 B.C.) to the nineteenth century.

The Inishkea islands are internationally important with respect to birdlife. Half of the Irish wintering population of Barnacle geese make the islands their home.

NA h-OILEÁIN
Tá cúpla oileán álainn, suaimhneach amach ón gcósta gur fiú cuairt a thabhairt orthu, ina measc Inis Gluaire, Dubh Oileain Mar, Inish Geidh Thuaidh agus Inish Geldhe Theas. Ta saibhreas staire aqus seandalaíochta ag baint le na h-oileáin seo. Bhunaigh Naomh Breandáin mainistír ar Inis Gluaire agus tá rian an tséipéil le feiceáil go fóill. Is áit saibhir seandálaíochta í seo agus tá iarsmaí ann ó go luath sa Tréimhse Chríostaí, ina measc Tobar Naomh Bhreandáin, clochán, Séipéal na mBan, leacht maisithe le cros, colúin cloiche 9 tr. ar airde agus cúpla leacht cothrom. De réir traidisiúin is ann atá Clann Lir curtha. Cuireadh faoi gheis an ceathrar páiste agus tiontaíodh ina n-ealaí iad. Bhí orthu maireachtáil mar seo go dtí gur bhris an gheis 900 bhliain ina dhiaidh sin.

Ni féidir dul isteach ar Dubh Oileain in aimsir stoirme. Tá go leor iarsmaí eaglasta ann, ina measc mainistir fálaithe, tobar beannaithe, clocháin agus leacracha croise.

INISH GÉIDH THUAIDH AGUS THEAS
Lonnaithe orthu seo bhí pabal iascaireachta a bhí ag cruthú go maith go dltí gur tharla báthadh trágoideach Inis Géidhe ar an 28ú Deireadh Fómhair 1927. Cailleadh deichniúr an oíche sin, atá curtha ar an bhFál Mór: Tháinig beirt slán. Tréigeadh na h-oileán go gairid ina dhiaidh sin agus shocraigh na h-oileánnaigh síos ar an mórtír, go mórmhór ag an bhFál Mór agus ag Glais.
Tá saibhreas d’iarsmaí eaglasta ar na h-oileáin seo. Bhí mainistír ar Inish Geidh Thuaidh go luath sa Tréimhse Críostaí, idir an seú agus an deichiú haois A.D. Bhí baint ag Naomh Colmcille leis. Tá trí cairn mór ag seasamh amach san oirthear ar a dtugtar na ‘Baileys’ orthu. Tugtar an ‘Bailey Mór’ an an gceann is mó agus tá meascán de shliogáin,cnámha d’ainmhithe agus gaineamh ann. Sé an ‘purpura corcra’ an sliogán is coitianta atá ann agus bhain na mánaigh úsáid as chun dúch corcra a dhéanamh, le dath a chur ar na lámhscríbhíní. 

Easpartáladh an dath seo go háiteanna eile. Fuarthas leacracha croise ar bharr an chairn seo agus bhí íobairt na Croiche léirithe ar ceann acu.  

Tá rian séipéal Naomh Colmcille, tobar beannaithe, clocháin agus leacracha eile croise le feiceáil ar an oileán chomh maith.

Ta iarsmaí ó go luath sa Tréimhse Críostaí ar Inis Géidh ó Theas  chomh maith, ina measc leacracha croise agus tobar beannaithe in ómos da Naomh Deirbhile. Ta carnáin sliogán le fáil ar an dá oileáin seo, atá déanta suas de shliogáin dóite agus fioghual. Tá sé deacair dáta cruinn a chur orthu seo mar baineadh úsáid astu idir an Tréimhse Neoiliteach agus an naoú haois déag. Tá cáil idirnáisiúnta ar Oileain Inis Géidh ó thaobh éaneolaíochta de.

Ar oilean Inis Geidhe tá fail ar leath de na géanna ghiúrainn a thagann go hÉirinn leis an ngeimhreadh a chaitheamh.