Inishlyre

Inishlyre (Irish: Inis Laidhre, meaning "Fork Island"^[2]) is one of the last inhabited small islands in Clew Bay, Ireland, with a population of 3 people in 2022.^[1]

Inishlyre

Native name: Inis Laidhre
Inishlyre
Geography
Location	Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates	53°49′24″N 9°39′11″W
Administration
Ireland
Province	Connacht
County	Mayo
Demographics
Population	3 (2022)[1]

Geography

The island is located close to Rosmoney Pier near Kilmeena.

History

In the 1851 census there were 17 houses and 122 people living on the island. By 1911, that was down to 6 houses and 22 people. In the 19th century there were 2 pubs on the Islands and sea merchants dropped cargo in the island because there was no deep-sea harbour in Westport.

Demographics

The table below reports data on Inishlyre's population taken from Discover the Islands of Ireland (Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and the census of Ireland.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1841 113 —     1851 122 +8.0% 1861 61 −50.0% 1871 73 +19.7% 1881 67 −8.2% 1891 109 +62.7% 1901 47 −56.9% 1911 22 −53.2% 1926 21 −4.5%	Year Pop. ±% 1936 16 −23.8% 1946 11 −31.2% 1951 14 +27.3% 1956 19 +35.7% 1961 19 +0.0% 1966 17 −10.5% 1971 18 +5.9% 1979 12 −33.3% 1981 10 −16.7%	Year Pop. ±% 1986 7 −30.0% 1991 6 −14.3% 1996 7 +16.7% 2002 7 +0.0% 2006 7 +0.0% 2011 4 −42.9% 2016 4 +0.0% 2022 3 −25.0%
Source: Central Statistics Office. "CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year". irishislands.info. Retrieved 12 October 2016.

References

1. Population of Inhabited Islands Off the Coast (Report). Central Statistics Office. 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
2. "Inis Laidhre". Placenames Database of Ireland. Dublin City University. Retrieved 3 August 2015.