Devenish Island

{{short description|Small island of Northern Ireland}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox islands

| name = Devenish or Devinish Island

| image_name = Devenish island 2006.jpg

| image_caption = Monastic site on Devenish Island

| image_alt = A ruined stone building with ecclesiastical stylings, surrounded by short grass and scattered headstones, with a stone round tower to the right. In the background, a stretch of calm water can be seen in front of a tree-lined shore.

| map = Northern Ireland

| location = Lower Lough Erne

| coordinates = {{coord|54|22|20.31|N|7|39|27.51|W|display=inline|region:GB}}

| area_km2 = 0.498

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| length_km = 2

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| width_km = 1.1

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| highest_mount = Sour Hill

| elevation_m = 64.3

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| country = Northern Ireland (United Kingdom)

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Devenish or Devinish{{cite web|url=http://www.logainm.ie/1165997.aspx|title=Daimhinis/Devinish|website=Logainm.ie|access-date=13 August 2017}} ({{Irish derived place name|Daimhinis|ox island}}) is an island in Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Aligned roughly north–south, it is about {{convert|1+1/4|mi|km|spell=in}} long and {{convert|2/3|mi|km|spell=in|adj=pre|of a}} wide.

The island is the site of an early Christian monastery and round tower.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishstones.org/place.aspx?p=1397 | website = irishstones.org | title = Devenish - Teampull Mór | date = June 2018 | accessdate = 17 February 2025 }} It is historically associated with Saint Mo Laisse who is reputed to have founded the monastery in the 6th century. At one point there were up to 1500 religious scholars at Devenish.{{cite book |last=Meehan |first=Cary |date=2004 |title=Sacred Ireland |url= |location=Somerset |publisher=Gothic Image Publications |page=86 |isbn=0 906362 43 1 |access-date=}} It possibly belonged to the Culdee order.{{cite web|url=https://stairnaheireann.net/2018/10/06/devenish-damhinis-the-isle-of-oxen/|website=Stair na hÉireann|title=History of Ireland, Devenish-Damhinis – The Isle of Oxen|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816212706/https://stairnaheireann.net/2018/10/06/devenish-damhinis-the-isle-of-oxen/|archive-date=16 August 2021}} The settlement, which was raided by Vikings in the 9th century, was burned in 1157. The round tower is 81 feet high with four small windows at the top facing the four cardinal points. Above each window is a finely carved head and a cornice that runs around the top of the tower. There are also examples of 15th century stone crosses on the island.{{cite web|url=http://www.megalithicireland.com/High%20Cross%20Devenish%20Island.html|website=megalithicireland|title=Irish High Crosses - Devenish Island - Late Medieval Cross}}

The island, which is accessible by ferry, is in the civil parish of Devenish.{{cite web | url = https://www.logainm.ie/en/58944 | title = An Daimhinis/Devinish (civil parish) | work = Placenames Database of Ireland | access-date = 9 October 2024}} The places to catch a ferry include Trory Point and The Round O, outside Enniskillen.{{cite web|url =https://www.megalithicireland.com/Devenish%20Round%20Tower.html | website = megalithicireland.com | title = Devenish Island | accessdate = 17 February 2025 }} Devenish Island is owned by the Kilravock Christian Trust.{{cite web|url=http://www.kilravockcastle.com/|title=Kilravock Castle (pronounced 'Kil-rawk') dates from 1460.|website=Kilravockcastle.com|access-date=13 August 2017}}