The Skerries, Northern Ireland

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The Skerries
Large Skerries - geograph.org.uk - 896624.jpg
A large skerrie near Portrush
United Kingdom Northern Ireland adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within Northern Ireland
Population(2001)
Irish grid reference C855409
  Belfast 50 miles (80 km)
District
County
Country Northern Ireland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town PORTRUSH
Postcode district BT56
Dialling code 028, +44 28
Police Northern Ireland
Fire Northern Ireland
Ambulance Northern Ireland
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Antrim
55°13′28″N6°37′20″W / 55.2245°N 6.6221°W / 55.2245; -6.6221 Coordinates: 55°13′28″N6°37′20″W / 55.2245°N 6.6221°W / 55.2245; -6.6221

The Skerries are a small group of rocky islands (skerries) just off Portrush, County Antrim, on the north coast of Northern Ireland. Winkle Isle is the local name for the large Skerry island, the small Skerry being known as Castle Isle. [1] The islands are part of an Area of Special Scientific Interest.

Contents

Local boat trips from Portrush pass the Skerries en route to the Giant's Causeway. [2]

Area of Special Scientific Interest

In 1996 the islands were designated as part of the Ramore Head and The Skerries Area of Special Scientific Interest. The islands are a habitat for breeding by a range of seabirds including kittiwake, black guillemot and eider duck. [3] The temperature of the Skerries during the summer months is warmer than other parts of Northern Ireland, and so the rocks are home to particularly interesting fauna; it is the only place many southern species such as the cotton spinner sea cucumber Holothuria forskali are found in Northern Ireland. There are several protected habitats located around the Skerries, notably for seagrass ( Zostera marina ) and horse mussel ( Modiolus modiolus ). In addition, recent surveys have found numbers of the spiny spider crab ( Maja brachydactyla ), which is new to Northern Ireland. [4]

Shipwrecks

On 28 December 1879 the sailing vessel, Thomas Graham, owned by John and Thomas Candlish of Palnackie in Scotland, and captained by John Candlish, was stranded at the Skerries and lost. [5]

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Winkle Islands are part of the Skerries, islands close to Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

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References

  1. "Portrush". Ulster for Your Holidays (1930). Eddies Book Extracts. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  2. "Scheduled and Charter Boat Tours of Northern Ireland's Scenic North Coast". Portrush Sea Tours. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  3. "Declaration of Area of Special Scientific Interest at Ramore Head and The Skerries" (PDF). Department of the Environment NI. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 30 November 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Thomas Graham". Irish Shipwrecks. Retrieved 21 April 2015.