Great Island () is an island in Cork Harbour, at the mouth of the River Lee and close to the city of Cork, Ireland. The largest town on the island is Cobh (called Queenstown from 1849 to 1920). The island's economic and social history has historically been linked to the naval, ship-building, and shipping activities in the town's environs.
In the early 21st century, a different marine industry has arisen. Tourism and related services have become a significant part of the local economy, including cruise ships attracted by the Port of Cork berthing facilities on the island. This is the only dedicated cruising ship berth in the Republic of Ireland.
The island has an area of , making it Ireland's second-largest after Achill.
History
The ancient name of the island was Ard-Neimheadh, the "High (or important) island of Neimheadh". According to the 11th-century work Lebor Gabála Érenn, Neimheadh was the leader of a group who invaded the area in prehistoric times. Archaeological evidence of prehistoric and early medieval settlement on Great Island is recorded on the Record of Monuments and Places of the National Monuments Service. This includes records of ringfort, fulacht fiadh, holy well, and bee bole structures.
thumb|left|[[Belvelly Castle overlooks the narrowest crossing, site of the only road bridge to the mainland.]]
By the early 13th century, the island was under the control of the Anglo-Norman Hodnett family. The Barry family (later Earls of Barrymore) retained power in the area for several centuries, and the island became known as "Barrymore Island" or Oileán Mór an Bharraigh, meaning "Great island of the Barrys".
The largest settlement on Great Island, Cobh, had significant development during the 19th and early 20th centuries, stimulated by additional expansion in shipping and naval activity in the area.
Location and access
thumb|Early 18th century map of [[Cork Harbour showing Great Island (centre)]]
Great Island is located in Cork Harbour on Ireland's south coast, and is made-up of the civil parishes of Clonmel and Templerobin.
The island is connected by road bridge to Fota Island to the north – which, in turn, connects via a causeway to the mainland. This road bridge, Belvelly Bridge, was built in 1803 at one of the narrowest points in the channels around Great Island. More than 200 years old, it is the only road bridge to the island.
A railway bridge and rail line also runs out through Fota Island to Great Island. Railway stations on Great Island include Carrigaloe station and Rushbrooke station, and the terminus at Cobh. A ferry service also connects the island (from a point near Carrigaloe) to the mainland (at a point near Passage West).
During regional windstorms in 2017 (including Storm Ophelia), downed trees and high winds resulted in the closure of the only road bridge to Great Island. Ferry and rail services were cancelled, leaving 12,000 residents stranded on the island. This led to some calls for a review of emergency access provisions and plans for the island. Residential developments are concentrated mainly around Cobh, with other populated townlands and settlements on the island including Ballymore, Ballynoe, and Belvelly. and the Verolme Cork Dockyard at Rushbrooke. The latter was long the site of construction of vessels for the Irish Naval Service, such as the LÉ Eithne. Many of these heavy industries have since closed. Some smaller boatbuilding companies are still based at Cobh.
Tourism is now important to the island economy. As of 2019, the Port of Cork company were seeking to redevelop the deepwater quay to support additional cruise liner and cargo traffic, leading to conflict with some local resident groups over the privatisation of public land.
Ecology
thumb|The waterfront at Cuskinny, east of [[Cobh ]]
Several proposed conservation sites and green areas are located on and around the island. These include Cuskinny Marsh Nature Reserve (which is managed by BirdWatch Ireland), Marlogue Wood (operated by Coillte), and the Great Island Channel Special Area of Conservation (overseen by the National Parks and Wildlife Service). The latter, the Great Island Special Area of Conservation, proposes conservation controls (including aquaculture limits) to protect the animal and bird habitats of the area's salt marshes.
Cuskinny Marsh is notable as a habitat and breeding grounds for a variety of different bird species such as kingfishers and cormorants.
Larger fish and marine mammals like bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and seals can sometimes be seen in the Great Island Special Area of Conservation. Between June and August 2001 a pod of three Killer Whales took up residence between Cuskinny Bay and the Holy Ground, sometimes within 100m of the shore, returning there regularly for the night following hunting activity in the lower harbour area.
See also
- List of coastal fortifications of County Cork