Just a couple of kilometres off the coast of Co. Clare lies Scattery Island, a fascinating and often overlooked treasure. This uninhabited island is steeped in myth, monastic heritage and maritime history, offering an unforgettable escape into Ireland’s spiritual and storied past.
The island is strongly associated with St. Senán, who founded a monastery here in the 6th century. It is known as Inis Cathaigh in Irish, meaning Cathaigh’s Island. According to legend, Cathaigh was a large serpent-like monster who was banished from the island by St Senán. In light of his bravery, a monastery was built on the island in his honour.
Today, most of this small island in the Shannon Estuary is managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW). It is home to monastic ruins, including a round tower, as well as a lighthouse and artillery battery. Trips to the island include a one-hour guided tour as well as additional time to explore the island at your leisure.
Getting to the Island
The island is just a short 2.5km boat trip from Kilrush Marina. Tours can be booked via Scattery Island Tours, who have a small office right next to the marina. I just purchased my ticket on the day but you can book online in advance, which I’d recommend during the busy summer season.
Leaving the marina we passed through a lock, which ensures boats can enter and exit the Shannon Estuary regardless of the tide. The trip to the island only took twenty minutes including getting through the lock. So if you’re not a fan of boat trips, you won’t have too much to worry about here. It’s a short and sweet journey with lovely views of the estuary and surrounding coastlines.
How much time do you get on Scattery Island?
Tours to the island are dependent on the tide, so the amount of time you get on the island can vary quite a bit. When you are booking online, the time you get on the island is clearly stated for each trip. The Standard Trip can vary from 1.5 to 3 hours on the island. If you want additional time, the Great Island Experience can give you from 3.5 to 5 hours on the island.
On the day of my visit to Scattery Island, the Standard Trip offered 2 hours and 45 minutes on the island. There was the option of leaving earlier and getting an extra hour with the Great Island Experience too. However, as the weather wasn’t great and I wanted to visit the nearby Vandeleur Walled Garden too, I decided to stick with the Standard Trip.
After the 1 hour guided tour, this left me plenty of time to visit the lighthouse and artillery battery at the far end of the island. However, I could have easily spent the extra hour revisiting some of the monastic sites. With the guide, you don’t have much time to take in all the details as you move around the sites. On a nice day it would also be lovely to have time for a swim or to enjoy a picnic on the island.
Wildlife on the Island
Scattery Island is a haven for wildlife. It is protected as part of the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC). The islands coast and lagoon are also part of the River Shannon & Fergus Estuaries Special Protection Area (SPA) for birds.
Much of the island is covered in scrub, providing an ideal nesting habitat for birds. It is home to migrating birds such as the Curlew, Redshank and Wigeon. Breeding birds include Choughs, Ravens and Kestrels. Brent geese also visit the island in spring before migrating back to Canada. Scattery is also home to the protected Hen Harrier, a rare bird of prey.
We also spotted some rabbits, which are abundant on the island as there are no foxes. Other mammals found on the island are otters and bats.
What to expect on Scattery Island
There are no cars, shops or modern amenities on the island. So once you reach the island, there are zero distractions. All you need to do is relax and enjoy the fascinating history and natural beauty of Scattery.
On arrival, we were greeted by our guide. Our tour then started straight away, just in front of the small visitor which is next to the pier.
The guided tour covered the sites found on the Ecclesiastical Trial, one of two walking trails on the island. The sites are all within close walking distance of each other and easy to explore alone. However, it’s well worth taking the guided tour for the additional knowledge provided by the guide. There are plenty of details that you would no doubt miss otherwise. However, if you prefer you can skip the tour and wander on your own, taking as much time as you need at each site.
Ecclesiastical Trail
Scattery Island was an important ecclesiastical centre for hundred for years, following the founding of St. Senán’s monastery in the sixth century. Today, the remains of the ancient monastic site include the remains of six churches, a round tower, a prayer stone and ogham stone. The guided tour takes in all the sites on the trail and took about one hour to complete.
Prayer Stone
Just in front of the visitor centre there is a 19th century ‘prayer stone’. At one point there were seven prayer sites on the island for pilgrims who visited to repent for their sins. Each stone was carved with instructions on how to complete the pilgrimage or “Pattern’, before finishing at St. Senán’s Well.
The Church of the Dead
The first church we visited on our tour was the Church of the Dead or Teampall na Marbh. This is the most recently built church on Scattery Island, dating from the late 14th or early 15th century. Our guide pointed out some interesting grave slabs which can be found both inside and outside of the church. It was believed that the closer a person was buried to the church’s altar, the quicker they would get into heaven.
The Cathedral Complex
Our next stop was St Mary’s Cathedral, the largest church on the island. Dating from the 8th century, it was altered and enlarged until the 15th century. A smaller church is located to the north of the cathedral. St Senán’s Well is also within the complex.
Next to the Cathedral is a 26m high round tower from the 10th or 11th century. There are around 80 round towers remaining in Ireland but this is one of only two that have a ground floor entrance. Most round towers have doors at a height, to help defend against attackers.
Cnoc an Angel, The Hill of the Angel
The church of the Hill of the Angel is located at the highest point on the island. There is not much left of the church but from here there are incredible views over the whole island and beyond. According to legend, this is the place where St. Senán was flown to by an angel to confront the monster Cathaigh.
St. Senán’s Church and Bed
St. Senán’s Church is a 12th century Romanesque style church. Beside it is St. Senan’s Bed, a small church where the saint is said to be buried. Woman were forbidden entering and an iron bar which blocked the doorway for this reason still remains in place.
Against the wall of the church there was a large stone slab with Ogham inscriptions. This has been removed and can now be seen in the visitor centre. There is also an early medieval slab nearby which our guide pointed out. Another guide also met us here to give us a peek at a female Hen Harrier through his binoculars.
Keane’s Castle
We finished our guided tour back at the visitor centre, just next to Keane’s Castle. It was built in the late 1500, at which time a Spanish invasion and Irish rebellions threatened to overthrow English rule in the country. Only the foundations remain today.
Lighthouse and Battery Trail
The lighthouse and artillery battery are located at the southern end of the island. It takes about twenty minutes to walk to the lighthouse from the visitor centre. So before you head off, make sure you have enough time to get there and back for your return ferry.
The Street
Leaving the visitor centre, head for the row of little cottages nearby. Known as ‘the street’ these cottages were inhabited by the island community over the years. Scattery Island’s population peaked at 141 people in 1881 and continued to thrive for many years. The island even had it’s own post office, which opened in the 1930s. You can still see the post box built into one of the cottage walls.
Many of the islanders worked as river pilots, guiding large ships up the River Shannon to Limerick. Farming and fishing were the other main economic activities for making a living. The island’s population dramatically declined in the late 20th century. The last two inhabitants, a brother and sister, left for the mainland in 1978.
Lighthouse
Between 1680 and the late 1800s there were a number of lighthouses built on Scattery Island. The current lighthouse was built in 1872 and was manned by a series of full-time lighthouse keepers who lived nearby in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage.
The lighthouse is now fully automated and maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights.
Artillery Battery
The artillery battery is located just next to the lighthouse. It was completed in 1814 and was one of six artillery batteries built by the British along the Shannon Estuary. The battery was surrounded by a deep moat and could house up to eight cannons.
How much does it costs to visit Scattery Island?
At the time of my visit (early June 2025), I paid €32.00 for the Scattery Island tour. This included the return ferry, the guided walking tour and a map and guide for the island.
It is possible to get a cheaper rate if you book your trip at least a week in advance. There are also child, student, OAP and family rates available. You can also pay a little extra for longer on the island and an additional audio tour about the Lighthouse and Artillery Battery.
For full details and current tours prices, visit Scattery Island Tours.
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