Inishbofin and Inishshark are islands off the coast of Connemara. When you come around the headland of Inishbofin there is an impressive ruin, underwhich originally was built a castle by pirates that could raise a chain across the bay. When Catholicism was banned in the 1500s, catholic priests were bannished to the Islands. Comwell built a barracks on the ruins of the pirate's castle in the 1600s which had torture chambers in the basement. After the restoration, this same barracks was used as a part of the defensive strategy.
The major business is fishing and farming. Fishing is probably how inhabitants originally came to live there. Early Christians built monasteries and Saint Coleman's was built on the ruins of one of them. There are currently ruins of a chapel on the top of the original St. Coleman site.
Tourists get to the island today on a small boat. Everyone had to wear a mask. It's about a 45 minute boat ride and the seas were calm, but it's hard to imagine how early fisherman maneuvered across in small boats on a heavy sea. Had a nice walk around the island; the highlight of which was a lovely picnic at the top of a cliff where you can see nesting birds and hear the sea.
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