Devenish Island (Daimhinis)
A serene monastic island on Lower Lough Erne, crowned by a perfect round tower.
St Molaise founded a monastery on Devenish in the 6th century, and its beautifully preserved round tower still rises about 30 m above the water. The island also holds a fine high cross and the ruins of a later Augustinian priory, reached by boat from Enniskillen.
At a glance
- Monastery founded by St Molaise, 6th c.
- Superb 30 m round tower
- Reached by boat on Lower Lough Erne
In County Fermanagh
Devenish Island is in County Fermanagh, Fear Manach in Irish, which means “men of Manach”.
More in Fermanagh
- Lough Erne (Loch Éirne): A vast island-studded lake system in County Fermanagh, dotted with early Christian sites.
- Boa Island (Inis Badhbha): A Lough Erne island famed for its enigmatic two-faced stone idol.
Other places of this kind
- Aran Islands (Oileáin Árann): A group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay.
- Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichíl): A jagged island monastery off the Kerry coast, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a modern film location.
- Rathlin Island (Reachlainn): Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island, an L-shaped seabird haven off the Antrim coast.
- Achill Island (Acaill): Ireland's largest island, joined to Mayo by a bridge, with cliffs and blue-flag beaches.
- The Saltee Islands (Na Sailtí): Two small islands off the Wexford coast, one of Ireland's great bird sanctuaries.
- Clare Island (Cliara): A mountainous island at the mouth of Clew Bay, home of the pirate queen.
The Irish name
The Irish form of Devenish Island is Daimhinis. You can hear it spoken, and take apart names like it, in the Placename Explorer. The authoritative record for any Irish place-name is logainm.ie.