Italian garden
Pool and casita.
Berthold Werner — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Berthold Werner — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Berthold Werner — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gordon Hatton — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Berthold Werner — CC BY-SA 4.0
Garinish Island, or Ilnacullin, is an island in Glengarriff Harbour, an inlet of Bantry Bay near the shore of the Beara Peninsula in County Cork, about 1.6 km in a straight line south of the village of Glengarriff. It is known for its walled gardens and its Martello tower. John Annan Bryce bought the island in 1910 and the gardens were designed by Harold Peto; Bryce's son Roland bequeathed the island to the Irish nation in 1953, and it is now cared for by the Office of Public Works. It covers 15 hectares, and its plants thrive in the mild, humid climate of Glengarriff Harbour, sheltered by belts of pine, and it has hosted writers including George Bernard Shaw. The island has an Italian garden with a pool and a small casita, a columned Grecian temple looking out over the bay and the mountains, a clock tower, a restored stone Martello tower from the time of the Napoleonic Wars, and paths lined with subtropical plants and garden flowers. On the ferry crossing, seals are often seen basking on the rocks. The island is reached by ferries from Glengarriff, and both the ferry and garden entry are paid. The gardens usually open from spring to autumn, so check opening times, and allow about two hours.
Pool and casita.
Over the bay.
On the crossing.
Glengarriff Harbour, Bantry Bay, County Cork, Ireland
By ferry from Glengarriff.
Usually spring to autumn.