Castle Island, County Cork

In 1837, Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Castle Island like this:

CASTLE-ISLAND, an island, in the parish of SKULL, in the Western Division of the barony of WEST CARBERY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (E. by N.) from Skull; containing 89 inhabitants. This island, which is situated in Roaring Water bay on the southern coast, comprises 141 statute acres of land, which is mostly under tillage and cultivated by the spade, producing good crops of wheat, oats, and potatoes: the surface is gently undulating, and the substratum a compact schistus. ...

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Though tolerably fertile, it produces no plant higher than the creeping furze. It is about a mile and a quarter distant from the mainland, between Long island and Horse island, and contains only 15 small cabins indifferently built. On the coast of a small bay near its eastern extremity are the ruins of a castle, erected by O'Donovan More, in the beginning of the 14th century.

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