Oileáin
Oileáin is an evolving guide to the Irish islands written by David Walsh.
Oileáin has continued to grow since its publication as a book in June 2004, and now as of 24th August 2009 includes 500 islands. My thanks for the ongoing support of many people. My own efforts have added various islands in the Fergus Estuary in County Clare, and a handful off the North side of the Dingle Penninsula in County Kerry. The 500th was Little Samphire Island off Fenit, a lighthouse island. The name is an extraordinary coincidence in that I was shown the plant Samphire, and educated in how to cook it, on a WISKA meet just a month previously, by Pete Hennessen, a most enthusiastic teacher. Oileáin also deals with parts of 10 of the 15 mainland coastal counties.
"Oileáin" as it appears on your local
bookshelf.
To purchase a signed copy of
"Oileáin" from this site at a cost 24 euro (plus P&P), just click Purchase
"Oileáin".
Oileáin the printed book is in full
colour, printed to a very high standard.
Colour photographs and
maps throughout.
Browse and/or download (cut and paste) the text version (always right up to date, the current version being published as at 24th August 2009), but no maps, no colour, no photos - "Oileáin"
Link for Irish Sea Kayaking Association Irish Sea Kayaking Association
Recommended kayak excursions on the Irish coast Recommended Excursions by kayakOther useful links and contacts Links
Photographs from some 2004 trips by ISKA members Scattery Island Roancarrigbeg Wreck Inishkea Islands
Irish Marine Weather Forecasts from Met Eireann Sea Area Forecast Sea Area Forecast
Irish Tide Times (add 1 hour in summertime) Tidal Information Tidal Information
I have compiled a list of many remoter, harder Irish
offshore islands and rocks,
and on which, which kayakers are thought
at present to have landed there "first".
This hopes to reflect in an
obscure way an interesting insight into a small part of
what Irish sea
kayakers were at in the late 20th century. First Known Kayak
Landings
Books and Further Reading on Irish islands and
Irish sea kayaking. These include source material for Oileáin. Source
Material
"Oileáin" deals with landings on islands, camping spots,
availability of drinking water, tidal streams, history or natural history
where known or researched, birds and wildlife as available, and general
information. It is intended to be similar in purpose to a nautical Pilot
or Sailing Directions, but dedicated to sea kayaks and other very small
craft, with a lot of extras.
"Oileáin" is an Irish word meaning
"islands", and is pronounced roughly "ill-aw-in".
As of December
2005, there were 335 islands touched on (the most recent of which are the
Sovereign Islands, for which thanks to the Pirate Queen, a.k.a. our own
Eileen Murphy who took time out on her recent circumnavigation of Ireland
to present this info to Oileáin. Also dealt with are the mainland coasts
(to some degree) of 9 of the 15 coastal counties (Derry, Antrim, Down,
Louth, Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway,
Mayo, Sligo, and Donegal).