Overview
Sherkin Island (Inis Arcáin, ‘island of the sea porpoise’) lies at the mouth of Roaringwater Bay, across the harbour from the fishing village of Baltimore in County Cork, and a ten-minute ferry from the pier. It is about 5 km long by 2.5 km wide, small enough to walk end to end, and home to a year-round community of farmers, oyster growers, marine researchers and artists. Dry-stone walls line lanes heavy with fuchsia, and the island has three sheltered sandy beaches.
If you have a single afternoon, this is the shape of it: the ferry over, the friary near the pier, a walk along the lanes and a later boat back.
History
The friary was founded in 1460 and, unusually for an Irish monastic house, rode out the worst of the Reformation: friars were still on the island until the last of them died in 1796. Close to the pier stand the ivy-clad ruins of Dún na Long, the O’Driscoll clan’s coastal seat from the mid-15th century. Sherkin was the family’s ancestral home. Both were scarred in a 1537 raid by Waterford men, retaliation in a running maritime feud that reached all the way down to West Cork. The Barrack Point lighthouse, out on the western tip, went up in 1835.
Some of the ruins are enclosed, so view them from the lane and ask locally about access to individual sites before you go in. The island’s calendar includes the Sherkin Regatta and the Open Ear experimental music festival; check the island website for dates.
Getting there and the ferry
The Sherkin ferry takes about 10 minutes from Baltimore. Check the timetable, weather and last return sailing before travelling, and ask the operator about boarding with mobility equipment. Check the operator’s page for current fares and how to pay.
Once on the island, follow the island visitor information for local facilities.
Walking and the beaches
Sherkin is small enough that the network of public lanes gets you everywhere on foot. Silver Strand is one of the island’s sandy beaches, while grey seals haul out on the rocks at Cow Strand. Wear proper shoes for the grass and gravel. Leave working areas, private drives and enclosed ruins clear, check signs at the shore, and keep away from exposed rock and rough water. Keep an eye on the tide if you walk the low shore.
The arts
The island’s creative streak is more than atmosphere. Artists have settled here for years, and the island’s Island Crafts Centre has sold pottery, knitwear and other local work; check opening times with the island before you plan around it. The Jolly Roger pub is known for traditional music sessions through the season.
Wildlife
Grey seals rest on the rocks at Cow Strand, and bottlenose dolphins and the occasional porpoise work the bay, often visible from the shore. For more, sea safari trips run from Baltimore or Schull and turn up basking sharks and minke whales over the summer.
Staying on Sherkin
- Islander’s Rest Hotel & Bar – a hotel on the island, with a bar and restaurant.
- Sherkin North Shore – camping and cabins on the north shore.
- B&Bs – a handful of family-run guesthouses; details on the official island website.
Check availability and seasonal opening with each place directly.
Practical tips
There is a shop and post office on the island, but stock is limited, so bring anything specific you’ll need, and mobile signal can be patchy. The ferry crossing is short, but beyond the pier the lanes and ruins are uneven, so the island is hard going for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Check the ferry timetable a few days ahead and confirm your return sailing before you head out. Once you’re over, the lanes, a beach and a sunset from the western end all fit comfortably into one afternoon.