Magharee Islands

Magharee Islands

Some of the Magharee Islands in 2004.
Geography
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Total islands	7
Administration
Ireland
County	Kerry
Demographics
Population	0

The Magharee Islands (Irish: Na Machairí), also known as "The Seven Hogs", are a group of uninhabited islands located off Rough Point at the northern tip of the Magharee Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The islands, which are part of the parish of Castlegregory, are well known as excellent diving and snorkelling destinations.

The Magharees Sound separates the Seven Hogs from the mainland. A monastic site comprising beehive huts and the ruins of an old church are located on Illauntannig. Scraggane Pier is the nearest landing point on the mainland.

The islands' names are:

• Gurrig Island – Gorach
• Illaunboe – Oileán Bó
• Illaunimmil – Oileán Imill
• Illauntannig – Oileán tSeanaigh (this is the largest of the islands)
• Illaunturlogh – Oileán Traolaigh
• Inishtooskert – Inis Tuaisceart
• Mucklaghbeg Island – An Mhuclach Bheag

The islands were inhabited until the early 1980s but now serve only as summer grazing for the livestock of several local farmers. Up until recently, many farmers would swim their cattle and sheep across to the islands at low tide, rowing alongside them inside Currachs or other small boats. If an animal got into difficulty it was hauled aboard or tied to a boat, or simply left to drown. Nowadays, a modified cage with several flotation devices attached to it, is pulled behind a boat and the crossing is much less taxing on the animals and their owners. A farmhouse on Illauntannig (the only dwelling on the island) can be rented out on a weekly basis April - September.

Illauntannig

Magharee islands as seen from Kerry head

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1841 0 —     1851 0 0.00% 1861 16 —     1871 19 +18.8% 1881 17 −10.5% 1891 22 +29.4% 1901 16 −27.3% 1911 10 −37.5%	Year Pop. ±% 1926 15 +50.0% 1936 7 −53.3% 1946 2 −71.4% 1951 4 +100.0% 1956 0 −100.0% 1961 0 0.00% 1966 0 0.00% 1971 0 0.00%	Year Pop. ±% 1979 0 0.00% 1981 0 0.00% 1986 0 0.00% 1991 0 0.00% 1996 0 0.00% 2002 0 0.00% 2006 0 0.00%
Source: Central Statistics Office. "CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year". CSO.ie. Retrieved 12 October 2016.