Inishbiggle
| Inishbiggle Irish: Inis Bigil | |
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| Location: | 53°59’45"N, 9°54’15"W |
| Grid reference: | F752068 |
| Area: | 650 acres |
| Data | |
| Population: | 18 |
Inishbiggle is a small, inhabited island off the coast of Ballycroy in County Mayo. Its name in Irish means "Vigil Island".
The island is lies between the north-east of Achill Island and the Irish mainland, and is accessed by boat from either Doran's point at Ballycroy or Bullsmouth, Dooniver on Achill Island. It is separated from Achill Island by the Bullsmouth Channel, a hazardous strait which one of the strongest currents around the British Isles.
The island is a mile and a half by a mile in size, or 650 acres in area.
Description
The main activities are sheep and cattle farming, fishing and winkle picking. Facilities on the island included a school and a post office, both now closed. Access to neighbouring Achill Island is by boat across the Bullsmouth Channel, whose sea current is dangerous to those which venture upon it. Unpredictable currents in the channel during winter months can render the island inaccessible, even though the passage during fair weather is about ten minutes in the traditional boat, the currach. Emergency access is by helicopter.
The population is now down to a few dozen, almost all elderly.
Transport
Plans to build a cable-car link across the hazardous Bullsmouth Channel to Achill had been under discussion since 1996, but have now been abandoned due to the high cost and the money was given towards the Achill bridge redevelopment; the Michael Davitt Bridge. Planning permission for the cable-car was denied by Mayo county council on the grounds that "It would be visually obtrusive in an area of special scenic importance, that it would create traffic problems and that it would devalue houses in the vicinity."[1]