CLEAR ISLAND

In 1868, the parish of Clear Island contained the following places:

"CLEAR ISLAND, (or Clear Island), a parish in the barony of West Carbery, in the county of Cork, province of Munster, Ireland, the Inish Dhrmley of the Irish, and formerly Insula Sanctæ Claræ. It is the most southern point of Ireland, lying 2 miles S. of Innisherkin, in 51° 25' N. lat., and 9° 30' W. long. The little land that is cultivated is of a rich quality, but the general surface of the island, which extends over an area of about 1,400 acres, is for the most part rocky and sterile. The living is a vicarage united with Kilcoe, in the diocese of Ross. There is a neatly built Gothic church, and a Roman Catholic chapel, with residences for the Protestant and Roman Catholic clergymen of the island; also schools under the Irish Islands and Coast Society and the National Board. An excellent kind of building stone is obtained. A revolving light was erected here in 1817, visible at a distance of 27 miles at intervals of every two minutes, but was extinguished on the erection of a similar light on the Fastnet rock, 4 miles farther out at sea. Here is a variety of game and sea-birds, and an abundance of craw-fish. There is a small lake in the interior, the water of which is remarkable for its purifying qualities. The Capers, as the inhabitants are called, were a few years ago a wild and simple race, but now differ little in their ideas and habits of living from their neighbours on the mainland; neither are they so superstitious as they were before the establishment of a Protestant missionary settlement on the island. They are generally inoffensive and civillage Their principal occupations are fishing, cultivating small plots of ground, and looking out for wrecked property, which they can discern many miles at sea. In this, and obtaining contraband goods from homebound vessels, they run a considerable trade since the island ceased being a coastguard station. There are several unlicensed houses called Sheebeens, for the sale of intoxicating drinks, which are consumed chiefly on Sunday. The great holiday is St. Kiaran's Day, on which, however, any person may work who has not been born on the island. At the extremity of a narrow neck of land stretching into the sea are the ruins of Dunanore Castle, or the Golden Fort, surrendered to Captain Harvey in 1601 by the O'Driscolls. There are also ruins of a church at St. Kiaran's harbour, near which is a stone cross, said to be cut by the saint himself, who, according to Archbishop Usher, was a native of this island. Cap'Clear, except a glebe of 25 acres, is the property of the Becher family, who largely contributed to the erection of the pier.

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018