Tory Island (Oileán Toraigh) is an island 11 km off the northwest coast of County Donegal, with a population of 119 in 2016: the community are Irish-speaking. It has scrappy remains of a monastery, but the main attraction is the remote scenery, with sea-cliffs swirling with birds.
In old Irish toraí meant "the hunted", indicating outlaws and bandits. After Cromwell broke royalist resistance in 17th century Ireland, the opposition were scattered and could only mount guerrilla or bandit attacks. "Tory" became a term of derision for royalist supporters, and especially for those supporting the catholic James II's right to the throne. It came to apply to the traditionalist, monarchy-supporting faction that in the 19th century formed the Tories of the Conservative Party. Ranged against them were the Whigs: "Whiggamores" were Scottish drovers, and that nickname was first applied to a radical Protestant faction. The political Whigs championed the supremacy of Parliament over monarchy, and detested catholicism.
It's possible that the island's name simply means "Torrs", cliffs or headlands, but those are too common on the Atlantic coast to be much use as a placename. So more likely Tory Island was named as a good-for-nothing place for hideaways and pirates, and indeed it saw the last stand of Irish rule against the English. The Gaels of Tyrconnell (Donegal) and Tyrone had repelled the Normans then the English Tudors until broken by the Nine Years' War of 1593 to 1603. Tudor reign then seemed assured, but in 1608 Sir Cahir O'Doherty rebelled and destroyed the city of Derry. He was killed in battle and his surviving forces fled to Tory Island, where they came under siege. Their end was hastened by "Pelham's Pardon", the concept that any rebel might surrender and have his life spared, so long as he killed at least one of his superior officers. Pretty soon they were all at each other's throats and the rebellion self-destructed. The crafty Pelham went on to be Chief Justice of Ireland but his pardon is seldom invoked nowadays in the courts. The lasting legacy was that Derry was re-built with stout city walls, and the Tudors re-doubled their efforts to colonise Ulster with loyal Protestants, and to drive out those accursed Irish.
The island relapsed into obscurity and was just a bystander in the 1798 rebellion, when the last French invasion flotilla and rebel leader Wolfe Tone were captured by the Royal Navy off the Donegal coast. The population dwindled and dwindled until in 1974 the government sought to evacuate the rest, after a storm cut communications and supplies for eight weeks. So many island communities had ended that way, but those of Tory Island fought to stay, campaigning for basics such as electricity and a continued ferry link. They survived to become a tourist destination.
Get here on the Tory Ferry, which is for foot passengers only and sails year-round from Magheroarty 📍. There's normally a morning, mid-day and afternoon sailing, but times vary with the tides and daylight hours. The ferry has toilets, and indoor and outdoor seating. It's a 45 min crossing of the open Atlantic, so expect a swell. Fares as of Aug 2021 are adult return €25, student €15, child €10; RoI and Northern Ireland travel passes are valid, and cycles are carried.
Park free by the pier at Magheroarty. The village straggles along R247 and there's a cafe by the pier, and bar nearby. Mangan Tours run 2 or 3 times M-Sa from Letterkenny via Kilmacrennan, Termon, Creeslough, Dunfanaghy, Falcarragh and Gortahork to Magheroarty to connect with the ferry. (These buses don't use Letterkenny bus station, but start from the fish & chips shop just outside.) Local Link Bus 966 also runs once a day from Dungloe via Bunbeg to Magheroarty ferry pier.
The ferry operator (who also runs the "Blue Ferry" to Arranmore) knows the tides well in advance, but what about the weather and sea? Check with the website a day before.
Ferries to Tory Island no longer sail from Bunbeg, a much longer crossing, but freighters bring in heavy goods every week or two. Bunbeg is still the ferry port for Gola Island.
Tory Island ferry pier 📍 is central on its south coast, in the main settlement of West Town.
The island also has a helipad but the helicopter service is reserved for urgent business, such as visits to or from the doctor. You are permitted to charter your own helicopter excursion.
Walk everywhere. The whole island is only 5 km long, traversed by a lane, with the main settlement in the middle. You can hire bicycles but hardly need them.
As of Aug 2021 Tory Island has no mobile signal; your accommodation may have wifi. You might manage a call at Magheroarty with Eir, but that area of mainland Donegal is equally devoid of signal.
Back to the mainland at Magheroarty is your only transport.
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