Great Island

Great Island, also known in Irish as An tOileán Mór, is a big island located in Cork Harbour near the city of Cork, Ireland. It sits at the mouth of the River Lee and is home to the largest town called Cobh, which was known as Queenstown from 1849 to 1920.

Throughout history, Great Island has been important for naval activities, building ships, and shipping. Many jobs on the island came from these industries.

Today, Great Island has become a popular place for tourism. Many cruise ships visit the island because it has special docking spots at the Port of Cork, the only one in all of Ireland just for cruise ships.

The island covers an area of 53.1 km² (13,100 acres), making it the second-largest island in Ireland after Achill. It is a place rich in history and now enjoys a lively tourism industry.

History

See also: Cobh § History, and Haulbowline § Naval history

Long ago, the island was called Ard-Neimheadh, meaning "High island of Neimheadh." Stories tell us that Neimheadh led a group who came to the area in very old times. We know from old records that people lived there long ago, with special old structures like circles of stones and holy wells.

By the 1200s, a family named the Hodnetts controlled the island and built a castle to protect it. Later, another family, the Barrys, took over and kept control for many years. The island was sometimes called "Barrymore Island."

In the 1700s and 1800s, the island became very important for ships and the navy. Strong buildings were made to guard the coast, including a fort and small towers to watch for danger.

The biggest town on the island is Cobh. It grew a lot in the 1800s and early 1900s because many ships and navy activities happened there.

Location and access

Great Island is found in Cork Harbour on Ireland's south coast. It includes the areas called Clonmel and Templerobin.

The island is linked to Fota Island by a road bridge called Belvelly Bridge, built in 1803. This bridge is the only road way to the island. There is also a railway bridge and line connecting to Great Island, with stations at Carrigaloe, Rushbrooke, and ending at Cobh. A ferry runs from near Carrigaloe to Passage West on the mainland.

Land use and economy

In the 1800s, Great Island was known for its fertile soil, with much of the land used for farming. Many families lived there because of the nice environment and climate.

Today, the island is mostly used for farming and homes. About 12,000 to 14,000 people live there, and many travel to Cork city for work. Most homes are near the town of Cobh, with other smaller communities like Ballymore, Ballynoe, and Belvelly.

In the past, the island had factories and shipyards, but many of these have closed. Today, tourism is important, especially with a special dock for cruise ships that welcome many visitors each year. There have been discussions about changing the dock to handle more ships, which has caused some disagreement among local people.

Ecology

Several special places for nature are found on and around Great Island. These include Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve, which is cared for by BirdWatch Ireland, and Marlogue Wood, looked after by Coillte. The Great Island Channel Special Area of Conservation is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and helps protect animals and birds in the area's salt marshes.

Cuskinny Marsh is an important home and place where birds like kingfishers and cormorants live and raise their young. Sometimes, bigger sea animals such as bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, and seals can be seen in the area. In the summer of 2001, a group of three Killer Whales stayed near Cuskinny Bay and the Holy Ground, often coming close to the shore. A large blue shark was also seen near the island in 2018.