Devenish Island

If you want to visit this island as a tourist, look up Erne Water Taxi, they provide the best tour of the area. Highly recommended. Just seeing the island from far away isn't enough, you need to set foot on the island. It is one of the most magical places ever.

We had a boat tour to Devenish Island and it was really excellent. Well preserved ruins, the atmosphere of the place is awe-inspiring. It is lovely to see the place being preserved, as it is worth visiting!

Imagine a place steeped in myth and legend, where crumbling stones whisper tales of Celtic saints and monastic life. Devenish Island is a emerald jewel in Lower Lough Erne. The boat ride is a tranquil affair, the lough a mirror reflecting the cotton-ball clouds above. As you step onto the island, history unfolds before you. The imposing round tower, a silent sentinel, speaks of a bygone era. Explore the atmospheric ruins of the priory, each weathered archway a portal to the past. Devenish is not grand spectacle, but a place for quiet contemplation. Let the wind rustle through the ancient yew trees, imagining monks tending their gardens centuries ago. Climb the round tower, if you dare, for panoramic views that will leave you breathless. Devenish Island is a treasure trove waiting to be unearthed. It's not just a historical site, it's a feeling. A feeling of stepping back in time, of connecting with the whispers of the past carried on the Lough Erne breeze.

An island filled with monastic remains on Lower Lough Erne. A boat of some kind is needed to reach the island, so this will need to be planned if you intend visiting this site. There are numerous remains on the site, from the Celtic-era round tower and old churches, to the newer Norman-era monastic buildings. The round tower is exceptionally well-preserved and can be ascended. However the tower is not always open to the public and this must be checked before arrival if you wish to climb the tower. There are interesting tombstones, and an unusual carved cross also on the site. Definitely one of the better preserved monastic sites in Ireland.

Couldn't get across. There are signs up for a ferry service but no ferry. (Erne tours run from Enniskillen take a boat out to it. We'll worth the trip)

With its access by water and its proximity to the borders of Ulster and Connacht provinces, Devenish Island served as the host site for various treaties, commissions and assizes. In 1259, Hugh O’ Connor, King of Connacht, and Brian O’ Neill, King of Ulster and recognized as high-king of Ireland, agreed at Devenish to unite against the English. In the cemetery on Devenish Island closest to the shore, there are gravestones with the names of Cassidy physicians and priests dating back to the early 1700’s. Both on Devenish Island and in nearby Ballycassidy there are holy wells connected with St. Molaise, which prior to the introduction of Christianity in Ireland may have been sites of worship by Druids of their water deity.

Amazing place, nice to explore the remains monastery

Thank you Brian and Roland, fantastic history, interesting stories and great weather, loved it!!!