Tory Island Totally Explained

Everything about Tory Island totally explained

Tory Island (official name: Toraigh and also known in Irish as Oileán Thoraigh or previously Oileán Thúr Rí) is an island in Ireland, located nine miles off the Donegal coast of Northwest Ireland. The main spoken language on the island is Irish, but English can also be understood.

Overview

The island is approximately 5 km (3 miles) long and 1 km (0.75 miles) wide. It has a population of 170, divided among four towns — An Baile Thoir (East Town), An Baile Thiar (West Town), An Lár (Middletown) and Úrbaile (Newtown). It is part of the Donegal Gaeltacht and Ulster Irish is the island's main language.
   Since the 1950s, it has been home to a small community of artists, and has its own art gallery. The English artist Derek Hill is associated with the Tory artist community.
   In the apocryphal history of Ireland, Lebor Gabála Érenn, Tory Island was the site of Conand's Tower, the stronghold of the Fomorians, before they were defeated by the Nemedians in a great battle on the island. The later Fomorian king Balor of the evil eye also lived here. Balor would imprison Ethlinn in a tower built atop Tor Mór (or Túr Mór in ancient Irish, meaning The High Tower). Tor Mór is the island's highest point.
   Tory Island Lighthouse is at coordinates

King of Tory

A king is chosen by consensus of the islanders to represent the community, a unique tradition that no longer exists anywhere else in Ireland. The current Rí Thoraí (Irish for King of Tory) is the well-known painter Patsaí Dan Mac Ruaidhrí, also known in English as Patsy Dan Rodgers. He has no formal powers, and some of his duties include being a spokesperson for the island and welcoming people to the island.

Transport

Tory island has no airport, but has regular ferry connections from Donegal. The ferry travels daily from April to October and five times a week for the rest of the year. The ferry doesn't take cars, but holds up to 70 passengers.
During the winter months the boat may be unable to cross due to rough seas but from November to March there's a small 4 seater helicopter that does a run from Falcarragh to Tory every other Thursday

Places of interest

Despite its small geographical size, Tory Island is rich in historical and mythological sites, often tied to the island's beautiful and dramatic landscape features. A blend of Christian and Celtic traditions are noticeable in the descriptions of the island's features below: Dún Bhaloir (Balor's fort): Located on the eastern side of the island, the peninsula is surrounded on three sides by 90m-high cliffs, and is virtually impregnable. Balor's fort is only accessible by crossing a narrow isthmus, defended by four earthen embankments. An Eochair Mhór (The big key) is a long, steep-sided spur jutting from the east side of the peninsula and ending in a crag called An Tor Mór (the big rock). Saighdiúirí Bhaloir (Balor's soldiers): An Eochair Mhór has prominent rocky pinnacles known as Balor's soldiers. They give the spur a 'toothed' appearance, hence the name, The big key. Leac an Leannán (The Wishing Stone) is a precipitous flat-topped rock beside the northern cliff-face of Balor's Fort. Traditionally, a wish is granted to anyone foolhardy enough to step onto the rock, or who succeeds in throwing three stones onto it. Please note: the rock is extremely dangerous, and visitors are strongly advised not to approach it. An Cloigtheach (The Bell Tower) is the most impressive structure to have survived the destruction of the monastery of Colmcille. A monastery was founded on Tory in the 6th century by Colmcille, an influential missionary of the day. The monastery dominated life on Tory until 1595, when it was plundered and destroyed by English troops, waging a war of suppression against local chieftains. The tower was built in the 6th or 7th century, probably to give warning of attacks from the sea. The Tau Cross (a t-shaped cross) is believed to date from the 12th century. It is one of only two Tau crosses in Ireland (the other in Kilnaboy, County Clare). Móirsheisear (Church of the Seven): Móirsheisear, which actually translates as 'big six' - an archaic term for seven - is the tomb of seven people, six men and one woman, who drowned when their boat capsized off Scoilt an Mhóirsheisear (the cleft of the seven) on the island's northwest coast. According to local superstition, clay from the woman's grave has the power to ward off vermin. The Lighthouse, standing at the west end of the island, was built between 1828 and 1832 to a design by George Halpin, a well-known designer of Irish lighthouses. In April 1990 the lighthouse was automated. The lighthouse is one of three in Ireland in which a reference station for the Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) is installed. This satellite-tracking system, managed by the US Department of Defence, allows ships and boats to locate their position at any time. The Torpedo: A torpedo can be seen midway between An Baile Thiar and An Baile Thoir. It washed ashore during World War 2 and was defused and erected at its present location.

Flora and Fauna

The island is an important breeding site for Corn Crakes (Crex crex) whose numbers have fallen in other locations with the intensification of agriculture.
Ancient records of the flora and fauna of this island can be found in Hyndman's notes on the history of the island. Algae found locally includes: Fucus vesiculosus, Fucus nodosus, Himanthalia lorea, Laminaria digitata, Rhodomenia laciniata, Plocamium coccineum, Ptilota plumosa, Conferva rupestrus, Codium tomtntosum, Codium adhaerens det Dr Harvey.

References and further reading

Williams H.G "Tory Island, County Donegal: a study on geographical isolation" Irish Geography, Dublin 1952
Hunter, J. 2006. The Waves of Tory. Colin-Smyth Ltd. ISBN 10 0 86140 456 4

Further Information

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