Inis Airc (English: Inishark)

Leaving Bofin Harbour, one has to negotiate around nearby Inishark, an island battered by the Atlantic and abandoned in 1960. There is no sheltered harbour on Inishark which is a key reason the island is no longer inhabited. It is only possible to visit on calm days, and best to go by small boat from Inishbofin.

The island was occupied for thousands of years and has many bronze age sites such as burial grounds and monuments. In the 19thc the islanders made their livelihood by fishing, especially for basking sharks, and by hunting seals. After the last 23 residents were isolated there through a harsh winter unable to leave for months, the government opted to resettle them on the mainland rather than build an expensive pier.

Currently uninhabited Inishark hosts a deserted village that speaks volumes about the hardships experienced by these remote island communities. The island's patron saint was Leo of Inis Airc, who lived there sometime between the sixth and eighth centuries. The remains of a 19th century church named after Leo lie there.