INSHTRAHULL ISLAND

Dawn in Inishtrahull

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The moon shines on the Isle of Inishtrahull,

Bejewelling nuptial tinted herring-gull,

May-fly dancing in the balmy air,

And moth returning to its daylight lair.

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A shoal of herring breaking out at sea

Sparkle like hoar-frost on an aspen tree,

Spindrift in the shaded rocky cleft,

And raised-beach quartz that the ice-ages left.

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The droning beetles seek the crevassed walls

To dive into when hungry lapwing calls; Earwigs,

likewise, into earthed homes,

And red-ants under scarred lichened stones.

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An otter seeking rest on rock remote

Glistens with phosphorescence on his coat,

The snail Arborum, with his watery glue,

And bunch of pearlwort in a crystal dew.

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The flaming sun ascends o'er Cantyre's Mull, Flings out his arms, day breaks on Inishtrahull!

D. J. O'Sullivan.

More pics

We went to Inishtrahull island off of the coast of Malin Head . The film A shine of Rainbows directed by Vic Sarin has been filming in Inishowen and they wanted some footage of seals.

Check out more about the lighthouses on the island

Wikipedia History

See images from a more recent trip to the island