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County Galway
Ireland
Islands
Mutton
as described in Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837
MUTTON ISLAND, in the parish of ST. NICHOLAS, county of the town of GALWAY, and province of CONNAUGHT, 1 mile (S.) from Galway City; the population is returned with the parish. (see Rahoon parish)
This small island,
comprising but two acres, and inhabited only by the persons who have the care
of the lighthouse, is situated in the harbour of Galway, and connected with
the mainland by a sand bank, dry at low water, which is the ordinary roadstead
of Galway. After the taking of Galway in 1691, by the troops of Wm. III.,
it was deemed of such importance that £1000 was expended in building
a fort and repairing the castle, on the suggestion of the governor, without
which he stated that the shipping could not lie in safety in the bay. A lighthouse
has bees erected on the island, the lantern of which has an elevation of 33
feet above the level of the sea at high water, and displays a brilliant fixed
light, visible at a distance of nine nautical miles. To the west of the island
is a ledge of rock extending about a cable's length ; the anchorage for small
vessels is on the east side, about two cables length from the shore, when
the middle of the island is on a line with beachhead. Vessels drawing more
than 12 feet of water most ride more to the southeast, keeping Blackhead
fairly open with the island, and the steeple of Galway church bearing north.
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