At the south-east corner of Ireland lie two islands that through their names alone say as much as anywhere else about our history.
Historical description. The Saltees are among the ancient islands of Europe, based on Pre-Cambrian bedrock i.e. The island is full of interesting history with people having settled on the islands as long ago as before 2000B.C. But it is their island… The Little Saltee has also provided farming for the locals before the Second World War when farming was stopped. Some of the birds are nesting on the side of the path. The Saltee Islands are a haven for sea birds, nurturing an impressive array of birds, from Gannets and Gulls to Puffins and Manx Shearwaters. The Saltees are among the ancient islands of Europe, based on Pre-Cambrian bedrock originating between 600 and 2,000 million years old. History of the islands: Throughout history the islands have provided hiding places for smugglers and outlaws as well as solitude for Christian hermits. There is archaeological evidence that Neolithic man settled there and traces of religious settlements exist. These islands, consisting of the Great and Little Saltee, are situated in St. George's Channel, off the coast of the parish of Kilmore, in lat. Legend has it that St. Patrick pelted the fleeing devil with the rocks as he tried to escape the wrath of the holy man. How to get there: The current owners of the island allow daytrips to Great Saltee, so catch the ferry from Kilmore Quay from April to September. The Saltee Islands lie three miles off the south coast, and at dead low water an arched deposit of rocks connects the smaller of the two islands to the mainland. The larger island, Great Saltee, is the most famous bird sanctuary in Ireland and is very popular with both day-trippers and birdwatchers alike. The Little Saltee island is about 2 ½ miles from the shore, with which it is connected by a narrow ridge of shingle, called St. Patrick's bridge, about two-thirds of which are dry at low water; it contains about 80 acres and is inhabited by a family consisting of three persons. The Islands consist of the Great and Little Saltee and are situated approximately 5km off the coast of Kilmore Quay in County Wexford. SALTEE ISLANDS, in the barony of BARGY, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER. The channel between the two islands is from four to five fathoms deep. She had left New York bound for Liverpool.
The S.S. Idaho. The Saltee Islands, Great and Little, may be small in size but they encompass much history and a great variety of natural life. Topographical Directory of Ireland by Samuel Lewis, 2nd Ed., printed 1849. Privateers . As long ago as 3,500 to 2,000 B.C. There is a recently-identified promontory fort, the remains of an ancient grave, an Ogham stone (now in a … There is also evidence of buccaneering and smuggling. Saltee Islands From Notes on the history of the Parle family (written in 1983) by John Parle, Widnes, Cheshire . The two islands, Great Saltee and Little Saltee, cover an area of 1.2 square kilometres, and with the exception of one family, are uninhabited.

Saltee Islands, Kilmore Quay: See 132 reviews, articles, and 128 photos of Saltee Islands on Tripadvisor. between 600 and 2000 million years old.

The Saltee Islands are situated approximately 5km off the coast of Kilmore Quay County Wexford. The S.S. Idaho struck Coningbeg Rock on 1st June 1878. 52° 8' … there were people on the islands. Details of Kilmore and The Saltee Islands from 2nd Ed. Another legend tells of how Patrick borrowed a boat so as to visit the islands. with 63 passengers and 82 crew. A few hundred yards from shore the boat … The Parles most probably came from Brittany, Northern France. Good order prevailed and all aboard reached the boats safely before the Idaho sank, 22 minutes after striking the rock. KILMORE, a parish, in the barony of Bargey union in the county of Wexford, and province of LEINSTER, 9 ½ miles (1) (S. S. W.) from Wexford ; containing 1865 inhabitants.This place is situated on the eastern shore of the Lough formed by the barrow of …