O'Reilly Island
{{Short description|Island in Nunavut, Canada}}
{{Infobox islands
| name = O'Reilly Island
| image_name =
| image_caption =
| image_size =
| map = Canada Nunavut
| coordinates = {{coord|68|02|13|N|98|58|53|W|display=inline,title}}
| native_name =
| native_name_link =
| nickname =
| location = Queen Maud Gulf{{cite web |url=http://www.geodata.us/canada_names_maps/maps.php?featureid=OAMGA&f=323 |title=Map of O'Reilly Island, Nunavut, Island – Canada Geographical Names with Maps}}
| archipelago = Arctic Archipelago
| total_islands =
| major_islands =
| area_km2 = 34.6
| area_footnotes =
| rank =
| highest_mount =
| elevation_m=
| country = Canada
| country_admin_divisions_title = Territory
| country_admin_divisions = Nunavut
| country_largest_city =
| country_largest_city_population =
| country_leader_title =
| country_leader_name =
| population =
| population_as_of =
| density_km2 =
| ethnic_groups =
| additional_info =
}}
O'Reilly Island is an uninhabited island in Nunavut Territory, Canada. It lies to the south of King William Island and to the west of the Klutschak and Adelaide Peninsulas, in the easternmost part of the Queen Maud Gulf.
History
The island and especially the islet to the northwest was extensively used by the Thule and later Inuit peoples to hunt seal and caribou.{{cite web |url=http://www.pwnhc.ca/research/archrep/archrep97/central.html |title=Archaeology Reports: Central Arctic |author= |date=1997 |website= |publisher=Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre |accessdate=12 Sep 2014}}
The wreck of {{HMS|Erebus|1826|6}} from Franklin's lost expedition was discovered just west of O'Reilly Island in Queen Maud Gulf, in September 2014.{{cite news |title=Finding of Franklin ship fuels Harper's new nationalism |first=Steven |last=Chase |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |location=Ottawa |date=9 September 2014 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/finding-of-franklin-ship-fuels-harpers-new-nationalism/article20508270/ |accessdate=10 September 2014}}{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/franklin-expedition-ship-found-in-arctic-id-d-as-hms-erebus-1.2784268 |title=Franklin expedition ship found in Arctic ID'd as HMS Erebus |website=CBC News |date=1 October 2014 |accessdate=2 October 2014}} However, Nancy Anilniliak, the Field Unit Superintendent of the Nunavut Field Unit, has restricted access to a rectangular area in Wilmot and Crampton Bay, to the west of the Adelaide Peninsula and about {{convert|25|km|abbr=on}} northeast of O'Reilly Island. The area runs from Point A ({{coord|68|14|44.8|N|98|52|22.3|W|region:CA-NU_type:waterbody|name=point A}}) to Point B ({{coord|68|17|44.2|N|98|40|17.9|W|region:CA-NU_type:waterbody|name=point B}}) to Point C ({{coord|68|13|15.4|N|98|32|16.2|W|region:CA-NU_type:waterbody|name=point C}}) to Point D ({{coord|68|10|16.5|N|98|44|19.3|W|region:CA-NU_type:waterbody|name=point D}}).[https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nu/epaveswrecks/info/plan Restricted area and activities in The Wrecks Of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror National Historic Site Of Canada]