Garinish Island

Located in the sheltered harbour of Glengarriff in Bantry Bay, West Cork, Garinish is a small island of 15 hectares known to horticulturists and lovers of trees and shrubs the world over as an island garden of rare beauty.

The gardens of Ilnacullin, as Garinish Island is known, owe their existence to the creative partnership, some 100 years ago, of Annan Bryce, then owner of the island and Harold Peto, architect and garden designer. Annan and Violet Bryce were convinced that with its sheltered situation and the warming influence of the Gulf Stream, a wide range of oriental and southern hemisphere plants could flourish in the almost subtropical climate of Glengarriff. Keenly interested in horticulture and architecture, the Bryces purchased the island in 1910 and planned to build a mansion and lay out an extensive garden on the island. They commissioned Harold Peto to design these. Plans for a mansion were prepared incorporating the 17th century Martello Tower, but it was never built. Instead, an extensive cottage became the home of the Bryce family. Among their guests were the writers George Bernard Shaw, who stayed on the island in 1923 while writing his play, Saint Joan, and the poet, George William Russell.

Because of its position and the Gulf Stream, the climate is in some respect almost subtropical and is favourable to the growth of ornamental plants from many parts of the world. The vivid colours of rhododendrons and azaleas reach their peak during May and June, whilst the hundreds of cultivars of climbing plants, herbaceous perennials and choice shrubs dominate the midsummer period.

The island was bequeathed to the Irish people in 1953 and was subsequently entrusted to the care of the Commissioners of Public Works. Access to the island is by small ferry boat.

https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/ilnacullin-garinish-island/