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In 1837, Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Mutton Island like this:
MUTTON ISLAND, in the parish of ST. NICHOLAS, county of the town of GALWAY, and province of CONNAUGHT, 1 mile (S.) from Galway: the population is returned with the parish. This small island, comprising but two acres, and inhabited only by the persons who have the care of the lighthouse, is situated in the harbour of Galway, and connected with the mainland by a sand bank, dry at low water, which is the ordinary roadstead of Galway. ...
After the taking of Galway in 1691, by the troops of Wm. III., it was deemed of such importance that £1000 was expended in building a fort and repairing the castle, on the suggestion of the governor, without which he stated that the shipping could not lie in safety in the bay. A lighthouse has been erected on the island, the lantern of which has an elevation of 33 feet above the level of the sea at high water, and displays a brilliant fixed light, visible at a distance of nine nautical miles. To the west of the island is a ledge of rock extending about a cable's length; the anchorage for small vessels is on the east side, about two cables' length from the shore, when the middle of the island is on a line with Blackhead. Vessels drawing more than 12 feet of water must ride more to the southeast, keeping Blackhead fairly open with the island, and the steeple of Galway church bearing north.
How to reference this page:
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Mutton Island, in and County Galway | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/29390
Date accessed: 08th April 2026
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