Tory Island, or simply Tory, is an island off the north-west coast of County Donegal, Ireland, and is the most remote inhabited island of Ireland. It is also known in Irish as Oileán Thoraí or, historically, Oileán Thúr Rí. The word Tory comes from the Middle Irish word Tóraidhe which means bandit.
Language
The main spoken language on the island is Irish, although English is spoken to communicate with visitors. Tory is part of the Donegal Gaeltacht and Ulster Irish is the main Irish dialect in use.
Geography and transport
The island is approximately long and wide, and 1.38 square miles. The 2011 census recorded a population of 144. The population is divided among four towns – An Baile Thoir, An Baile Thiar, An Lár and Úrbaile. Petrol and diesel are available from Tory Oil at prices significantly higher than on the mainland. Tory has no airport, but has regular ferry connections from mainland County Donegal. The ferry travels daily all year round. The ferry does not take cars, but holds up to 70 passengers. During the winter months, sea crossings may not be possible due to rough seas – but from November to March, a small 4-seater helicopter runs from Falcarragh to Tory every other Thursday.
History
Ancient history
In the apocryphalhistory of Ireland, Lebor Gabála Érenn, Tory Island was the site of Conand's Tower, the stronghold of the Fomorians, before they were defeated by the Nemedians in a great battle on the island. The later Fomorian king Balor of the evil eye also lived here. Balor would imprison Ethlinn in a tower built atop Tor Mór. Tor Mór is the island's highest point. A monastery was founded on Tory in the 6th century by Colmcille. The monastery dominated life on the island until 1595, when it was plundered and destroyed by English troops, waging a war of suppression against local chieftains. The monastery's bell tower is the largest structure to survive and was built in the 6th or 7th century.
On 27 October 1914, the British lost their first battleship of World War I: the British super-dreadnought battleship was sunk off Tory Island, by a minefield laid by the armed German merchant-cruiser Berlin. The loss was kept an official secret in Britain until 14 November 1918. The sinking was witnessed and photographed by passengers on, sister ship of. Since the 1950s, the island has been home to a small community of artists, and has its own art gallery. The English artist Derek Hill was associated with the Tory artist community. Reflecting a long-standing tradition, a "king" is chosen by consensus of the islanders. The most recent "King of Tory" was painter Patsy Dan Rodgers, who held the post from the 1990s to his death on 19 October 2018. The king has no formal powers, though duties include being a spokesperson for the island community and welcoming people to the island. Power is generated on the island today from three diesel electricity generators. These have a total capacity of 4 MW and burn through approximately 500 litres of fuel every day. Public attention was focused on the island in 2009 when a one-time resident was awarded a payout following a court case after his house was demolished and the grounds used as a car park. In 2015, the island's only café was destroyed by fire.
Demographics
The table below reports data on Tory Island's population taken from Discover the Islands of Ireland and the census of Ireland. Censuses in Ireland before 1841 are not considered complete and/or reliable.
Tourism
Tory Island has a number of historical and mythological sites:
Dún Bhaloir is located on the island's eastern side. This peninsula is surrounded on three sides by cliffs. Balor's Fort is accessible only by crossing a narrow isthmus, defended by four earthen embankments.
An Eochair Mhór is a long, steep-sided spur jutting from the east side of the peninsula and ending in a crag called An Tor Mór. The spur has prominent rocky pinnacles – these are known as 'Balor's soldiers'. They give the spur a 'toothed' appearance and contribute to the name, 'the Big Key'.
The Wishing Stone is a precipitous flat-topped rock beside the northern cliff-face of Balor's Fort. Traditionally, a wish is granted to anyone foolhardy enough to step onto the rock, or who succeeds in throwing three stones onto it.
An Cloigtheach is the largest structure to have survived the destruction of the monastery. The round tower was built in the 6th or 7th century.
The Tau Cross is believed to date from the 12th century. It is one of only two Tau crosses in Ireland.
Móirsheisear : Móirsheisear, which actually translates as 'big six' – a term for seven – is the tomb of seven people, six men and one woman, who drowned when their boat capsized off Scoilt an Mhóirsheisear on the island's northwest coast. According to local superstition, clay from the woman's grave has the power to ward off vermin.
The Lighthouse, standing at the west end of the island, was built between 1828 and 1832 to a design by George Halpin, a noted designer of Irish lighthouses. In April 1990, the lighthouse was automated. The lighthouse is one of three in Ireland in which a reference station for the Differential Global Positioning System is installed. The lighthouse is at coordinates
The Torpedo: A torpedo can be seen midway between An Baile Thiar and An Baile Thoir. It washed ashore during World War II and was defused and erected at its present location.
Flora and fauna
The island is an Important Bird Area. It is a breeding site for corn crakes, a globally threatened species whose numbers have fallen with the intensification of agriculture. In 2007, Tory Island recorded 18 calling males, down from a recent year's maximum of 34 calling males in 2003. In 2010, numbers dropped down further to 10. In addition to its indigenous bird life, the island records many vagrants. Ancient records of the flora and fauna of this island can be found in Hyndman's notes on the history of the island. Algae found locally include: Fucus vesiculosus, Fucus nodosus, Himanthalia lorea, Laminaria digitata, Rhodomenia laciniata, Plocamium coccineum, Ptilota plumosa, Conferva rupestrus, Codium tomentosum, Codium adhaerens det Dr Harvey. The island has no trees due to its high winds.
