Puffin Island (County Kerry)


Puffin Island is an uninhabited steep rocky island lying off the coast of the Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland.

Geography

The island is about 1.5 km long and 0.7 km wide, and rises to 159 metres. It is separated from the mainland by Puffin Sound, which is only about 250 metres across. Day visits to the island from Valentia can be arranged.

Nature conservation

Puffin Island holds important populations of several seabird species, including Atlantic puffins, Manx shearwaters and European storm-petrels, and was acquired as a nature reserve by the Irish Wildbird Conservancy in the early 1980s.

History

The island also has some signs of ancient human habitation, and it has attracted the interest of archaeologists.

Photo gallery