The tiny island with Ireland’s only cable car, whales and dolphins near country’s most colourful village
A SCENIC staycation is the perfect way to start your summer – and a hidden island off the coast of Cork could make for the ideal and most unique getaway.
That’s because the breathtaking Dursey Island is accessed via Ireland’s ONLY cable car.
Dursey Island is a part of the Beara Way walking trail – and has only a few permanent residents.
The popular west Cork island is known for its glorious views of the mountain ranges and colourful villages off the Beara Peninsula.
But it’s been inaccessible by cable car for months after the service was closed last March for vital repairs.
A ferry service across the Dursey Sound, which has strong tides and reefs, is subject to weather conditions and a “bit of a lottery” according to locals.
But after over a year closed, Cork County Council look set to announce a reopening date for the cable car within weeks – meaning it’ll be back in action for visitors across the summer season.
ISLE BE THERE
Dursey Island is just 6.5km long and 1.5km wide – and the most south-westerly island off the Irish coast.
The tiny island used to have hundreds of residents across three villages – Ballynagallagh, Kilmichael and Tilickafinna – but that’s dropped over the years to just a handful of full-time residents, as well as farmers and a few holiday home owners.
The island is a bird watchers’ paradise with a nesting colony of seabirds including rare species from Siberia and America.
And there’s plenty of history to soak up on Dursey, with a Signal Tower on the highest point of the island that was built over 200 years ago during the Napoleonic Wars.
There’s ruins at the church of Kilmichael – said to have been founded by monks from Skellig Rock – as well as O’Sullivan Beare’s castle, from where islanders were thrown into the sea by English soldiers back in 1602.
You can take in the sights by walking or cycling the Dursey Island Loop.
But a stay on the island will take you back in time, as there’s no shops, pubs, restaurants or wifi.
So visitors are advised to stock up and bring food and water for any summer trips.
RIDE ON
Ireland’s only cable car runs at about 250m above the sea and can carry up to six passengers at a time.
The journey to the island takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
When it reopens in the coming weeks, it leaves the mainland from Ballaghboy on the tip of the Beara peninsula with several daily services across to Dursey.
The cable car – which first opened back in 1969 – is the only cable car that traverses open seawater in all of Europe.
And ahead of its reopening, Cork County Council confirmed this week: “Cork County Council can confirm that extensive works, including load testing and detailed inspections, are underway in respect of the final stages of the Dursey Cable Car service resumption.
“Pending statutory inspections, scheduled to take place early next week, and the necessary grant of consent by the Commission for Railways Regulation, an official resumption date will be announced at the earliest opportunity.”
BOAT TRIPPING
If you fancy taking in the spectacular sights of Dursey Island from the sea, Dursey Boat Trips offer the Bull Rock trip from Garnish Pier.
With the Skelligs visible in the distance on a clear day, the Beara Peninsula adventure takes in the dramatic cliffs of Dursey and a view of the cable car from the water.
Punters will also spot Cow Rock and Bull Rock, home to Ireland’s largest gannet colony.
And the wildlife spotting potential is phenomenal – with dolphins and whales regular visitors to the rich waters that surround Dursey.
Plus basking sharks, seals and otters and a huge array of seabirds could be spotted.
ISLAND STAY
With only three small villages on Dursey, many of the once derelict houses have now been transformed into holiday homes.
One self-catering option is the OId Dursey Schoolhouse, which dates back to 1891, and has been restored to comfortably sleep four people for one-week stays.
On the mainland, the Harbour View B&B is within walking distance of the cable car to Dursey.
Or many visitors stay in the village of Allihies, which is the last village pitstop along the Beara Peninsula.
The stunning spot is known for its copper mining history, with a gorgeous white sandy beach which came from the crushings of quartz rock that copper ore was extracted from.
Eyeries, at the base of Maulin mountain, is another option, known for being one of Ireland’s most colourful villages and is about a 30-minute drive from the cable car pick-up point.