Tearaght Island

Infobox Mountain
Name = An Tiaracht
Photo = Tearaght.jpg
Caption = An Tiaracht, seen from Inis Tuaisceart
Elevation = 200 m (656 ft)
Location = County Kerry, Ireland
Range =
Prominence = 200 m
Coordinates =
Topographic

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Grid_ref_Ireland = V178949
Listing = Marilyn
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An Tiaracht (anglicised as The Tearaght, Inishtearaght or Tearaght Island) is an uninhabited steep rocky island situated to the west of the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry, Ireland. It is the westernmost part of the Blasket Islands and also the westernmost point of Ireland. It lies in the Atlantic Ocean 12.5 km west of Dingle Peninsula, at longitude 10.70ºW. [cite web | title=Ireland - Geographical facts and figures | work= Travel through the Ireland story...| url=http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/geography/extremities.html | accessdate=2007-09-15]

An Tiaracht is about a kilometre from east to west, and 500 metres from north to south. The island is divided into two sections, a larger eastern part (200 metres high) and a western part that rises to 116 metres. A narrow neck of rock, with a natural tunnel through it, joins the two parts.

An Tiaracht, like the other Blasket Islands, holds large numbers of seabirds, with internationally important populations of Manx shearwater and European storm-petrel. Leach's storm-petrels have also been found there (but not proved to be breeding) in recent years. The number of auks, especially puffins, has apparently fluctuated greatly, though early records are not always reliable.

A lighthouse was established on the island in 1870, and automated in 1988. The lighthouse, maintained by the Commissioners of Irish Lights, is 84 metres above high water.

See also

* Lighthouses in Ireland
* Extreme points of Europe

References

External links

* [http://www.cil.ie/flat_areaEQLlighthousesAMPLighthouseIDEQL17_entry.html Picture of lighthouse]