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Lambay Island is situated about six miles from
Skerries. It is the largest island off the east
coast of Ireland and is about 1,371 acres in size.
The ancient Greek writers Pliny and Ptolemy knew
about the island and referred to it as Limnus
or Limni. Implements and other objects from the
New Stone Age and early Bronze Age have been found
on the island. Gold ornaments from the Iron Age
have also been found on the island.
This indicates that Lambay was inhabited at a
very early period. Its early Irish name,''Reachra,''
was eventually replaced by the Danish Lambay,
meaning Lamb Island. This name probably originated
with the practice sending over ewes to the island
in spring and allowing them to remain there until
the Autumn. In early Christian times it was the
site of a monastery which was reputed to be the
first place on the coast of Ireland to be attacked
by the Danes, in the year 795 A.D. Later for some
centuries it seems to have been the haunt of pirates.
In the 15th century the king of England, who then
bore the title of ''Lord of Ireland,'' granted
the island to the prior of Holmpatrick.
 I
In 1551, after the dissolution of the monasteries
it was given to John Challoner and his heirs,
provided that he built a village to house the
fishermen, a place of refuge for them in case
of attack, and a harbour for their boats. Challoner
did this. He brought from England a colony of
"the king's subjects" to inhabit the island and
make it free from pirates and smugglers. A curious
many sided building, raised on arches, with battlements
and spike holes, which commands a view in all
directions, is still standing on the island. This
seems to be the "place of refuge from attack"
which was built by Challoner. During the Williamite
wars the island was used as an interment camp
for Irish soldiers. More then one thousand of
them were imprisoned there after the battle of
Aughrim in 1691. Early this century a castle was
built on Lambay Island with Milverton limestone.
Each stone was shaped from an individual template
supplied by the architect, Sir Edwin Luytens.
The castle has no right angles. Luytens was a
famous English architect and town planner. He
planned the principal buildings of New Delhi,
in India. At one time there were 62 stone cutters
at work on the island as the building progressed.
To day the island is a bird sanctuary. It is now
owned by Lord Revelstoke. Permission to visit
must be obtained from his steward on the island.
Back to: History of Skerries
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