Overview
Rutland Island (Irish: Inis Mhic an Doirn), also known historically as Inishmacadurn, is a low-lying island situated roughly half a mile off the coast of Burtonport in the Rosses region of West Donegal. Part of the Donegal Gaeltacht, where Irish language and culture remain a core part of the local identity, the island has no permanent year-round residents today.
Instead, the remaining dwellings on the island serve entirely as holiday homes, offering a peaceful summer escape. Surrounded by sandy beaches, shallow bays, and wild coastal dunes, Rutland provides a serene environment for walkers, nature enthusiasts, and those interested in Ireland’s coastal heritage.
History: The Rise and Fall of “Newtown”
The modern history of Rutland Island is defined by an ambitious but short-lived 18th-century development. In 1784, William Burton Conyngham established a planned settlement on the island, intending to create a premier fishing and commercial hub. The village featured a structured street of residences – including Tarent Street, built in 1789 – along with business premises, a post office, a schoolhouse, and a dedicated fish landing and processing facility designed to exploit the region’s abundant herring stocks.
Despite the significant initial investment, the venture struggled almost immediately. Shortly after the facilities were completed, herring catches in the surrounding waters declined heavily. The local fishing industry collapsed, forcing businesses to close and public services to relocate to the mainland.
A small community of resilient islanders continued to live on Rutland into the 1960s. Mains electricity was finally brought to the island in 1957, though this was primarily because Rutland served as a crucial physical stepping stone for routing the underwater power supply to the larger, inhabited Arranmore island nearby. Piped water was never installed on Rutland, meaning the remaining holiday cottages still depend entirely on rainwater collection tanks and local spring wells.
Rutland Island and Sound SAC
The island and its surrounding waters are designated as the Rutland Island and Sound Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under site code 002283. This protected status helps preserve a highly diverse range of sensitive coastal and marine habitats, including:
- Coastal Lagoons & Reefs: The shallow inlets, bays, and reefs around the island support a complex marine ecosystem.
- Sand Dune Systems: The island features embryonic shifting dunes, white dunes dominated by marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), fixed grey dunes with rich herbaceous vegetation, and humid dune slacks.
- Marine Flora: The Rutland South Channel is noted for its diverse marine macroalgae, including species such as Gracilaria gracilis, Rhodymenia holmesii, Polysiphonia fucoides, Polysiphonia nigra, Sphondylothamnion multifidum, and Heterosiphonia plumosa.
- Harbour Seals: The reefs and quiet bays provide essential haul-out sites for the Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina).
- Terrestrial Wildlife: In addition to local foxes, Rutland is home to a notable population of small-bodied badgers (Meles meles). Wildlife biologists have studied these badgers extensively, noting that their restricted island environment has resulted in a smaller physical size and a poor, highly adapted diet compared to mainland populations.
What to See & Do
- Explore the Ghost Village: Walk along the remains of Tarent Street to view the stone walls and ruins of the 18th-century settlement, including the foundations of the old schoolhouse and the remnants of the fish-processing station.
- Coastal Walking: Traverse the island’s sandy beaches, rocky shorelines, and low-lying dunes. The island offers panoramic views of the Atlantic and the neighbouring islands of Inishcoo and Arranmore.
- Birdwatching: The quiet lagoons and salt marshes are excellent places to spot wading birds, gulls, and terns nesting along the dunes.
- Sea Angling: The sheltered waters of Rutland Sound are popular for local sea angling, with fishermen targeting species such as mackerel and pollack.
Practical Information
- Access: There is no regular scheduled vehicle ferry to Rutland Island. During the summer months, a small seasonal boat service is operated by Donegal Sea Adventure from the pier at Burtonport. Kayakers and private boat owners can also launch directly from Burtonport Harbour, which is located just half a mile across the sound.
- Facilities: There are absolutely no shops, cafes, public toilets, or public utilities on the island. Visitors must be completely self-sufficient. Ensure you bring sufficient drinking water, food, warm waterproof clothing, and sturdy footwear.
- Leave No Trace: To protect the sensitive habitats of the SAC, visitors must stay on established pathways, avoid disturbing the local seal and badger populations, and carry all litter back to the mainland.
- Contact: For local information on seasonal boat crossings and community guidelines, contact the small islands cooperative, Comharchumann na nOileán Beag, at +353 (0)74 953 2571.