Clew Bay
Clew Bay is a natural ocean bay in County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. It contains Ireland's best example of sunken drumlins. The bay is overlooked by Croagh Patrick to the south and the Nephin Range mountains of North Mayo. Clare Island guards the entrance of the bay. From the southwest part of the bay eastwards are Louisburgh, Lecanvey, Murrisk, and Westport; north of Westport is Newport, and westwards from there lies Mulranny, gateway to Achill. From the south side of the bay, between Clare Island and Achill, Bills Rocks can be seen.
History
The bay was anciently known in Irish as Cuan Mod or Modlind, and was associated with the Fir Bolg. Some writers claim that this name derives from Modh, one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Another possibility is the Old Irish mod, moth, which meant "penis"; it is possible that the bay was imagined as a penis thrusting into the land.Another old name is Cuan Umaill, which was rendered in English as "Bay of the Owly", and then "Bay of the Owles." The English names Bay of Borace, Horrus, Baragh and Boruce are all recorded, all references to Burrishoole. The name Clew Bay, of uncertain origin, first appears in a 1714 map; it may be derived from cliath, "hurdle".
Clew Bay was the focus of the O'Malley family possessions in the Middle Ages, and is associated especially with Grace O'Malley or Granuaile. She is known as the Pirate Queen who commanded a fleet of ships and maintained several castles, including those on Clare Island, Achill and Rockfleet.
During the Irish Civil War in July 1922, 400 Free State troops were landed at Clew Bay to take Westport and Castlebar from Anti-Treaty forces.
Inishgort Lighthouse
Inishgort Lighthouse stands on the island of Inishgort, from Murrisk.Fish farming in Clew Bay
In recent years there has been controversy over fish-farming in the bay. "The Organic Salmon Company" is based in Clare Island.Gallery
Islands of Clew Bay
The bay is also home to Dorinish, a private island purchased by John Lennon in 1967. Glenans Ireland, a non-profit sailing school, had a branch on Collanmore Island where sailing was taught.Legend has it that Clew Bay has 365 islands in it—"an island for every day of the year". The large number of drumlins at the east end of the bay gave rise to this myth, but in fact there are not so many.
Drumlin islands, sandbars, and rocks
This chart shows the relative positions of the islands, sandbars, and rocks in the eastern half of Clew Bay. There are 141 named islands and islets within the bay.| 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | |
| 96 | Inishkeel | Inishbobunnan | Beetle Island North Inishlim | ||||||||
| 95 | Moynish More | Black Rock Inisherkin | Inishgowla Beetle Island South Inishnacross | Inishtubrid | Inishquirk | Illannambraher | Roslynagh | Gobfadda Kid Island East | Forillan Illanavrick Camel Island | ||
| 94 | Moynish Beg | Inishcooa Roeillaun | Inishdeashmore Inishdeashbeg | Inishilra Inishcarrick Inishcorky | Inishdasky Inishcoragh | Freaghillanluggagh | Inishdaweel Muckinish Illanascraw | Inishturlin | Rabbit Island | ||
| 93 | Inishcannon | Inisheanmore Rock Carrickachorra Carricklahan | Freaghillan West Inishkee | Freaghillan East Inishcuill West Inishfesh | Inishcuill Carrickwee | Rosbarnagh Island Carrigeennaronty | |||||
| 92 | Inishoo | Illanmaw Inishgowla | Mauherillan Inishlaughil | Inishmolt Inishbollog | Inishdaff | Inishloy | |||||
| 91 | Inishbee | Calf Island Derrinish | Inishcottle | Illannaconney Inishnakillew | Inishturk Beg | ||||||
| 90 | Rabbit Island | Knocky-Cahillaun Quinnsheen Island | Freaghillan Moneybeg Island Clynish Illaunnamona | Carrigeenglass North Trawbaun Carrigeenglass | Atticlea Island | ||||||
| 89 | Island More | Collan Beg | Collan More Carrigeenglass South | ||||||||
| 88 | Inishgort | Inishlyre | |||||||||
| 87 | Dorinish More | Inishlaghan | Crovinish Carrickwee | Illanataggart Rocky Island | |||||||
| 86 | Creggandillisk | Dorinish Beg Inishimmel | Inishleague | Inishgowla South Inishraher | Forillan Carrickawart Island Finnaun Island | Stony Island | Cleavlagh Strand | ||||
| 85 | Carrickataha | Bartraw Inishdaugh | Inisheeny | Corillan Carricknamore | Green Islands | Carricknacaly | Monkellys Rocks Inishweela Illanroe | ||||
| 84 | Cahernaran Island | Annagh Island West Sruffanbaun Strand | Annagh Island East Illanatee | ||||||||
| 83 | Annagh Island Middle Roeillan |