Fabulous islands are in reach, just a short boat ride from the West Cork coastline!
Across Bantry Bay and Roaringwater Bay, you’ll find welcoming island communities, extraordinary stories and gorgeous land and seascapes to explore. So why not take a trip?
Welcome to the West Cork Islands
Seven inhabited islands and a garden paradise are strung like jewels along Ireland’s southwest coastline, just waiting for you to explore!
They’re the perfect places to immerse yourself in the communities, landscapes, seascapes, and heritage of beautiful West Cork. Each island is quite different in character from the next. Heir, Bere, Sherkin, Cape Clear, Whiddy, Dursey, Long, and Garnish islands are shaped by the Atlantic waves and their unique island stories. Each one is a fascinating place to experience Cork’s pure exhilarating beauty and the drama of the Wild Atlantic Way.
Take a walk on the West Cork Islands
Take a stroll along island lanes and across vivid landscapes that introduce you to the tranquility and unspoilt natural beauty of the West Cork islands. Dramatic views across Wild Atlantic bays and back to the mainland are sure to take your breath away!
Join us for festivals and events on the West Cork islands!
Find peace on an island retreat or immerse yourself in island life at one of our legendary festivals!
The West Cork islands welcome you to take part in the events we hold throughout the year. From storytelling festivals, art exhibitions, heritage walks, and open-air theatre to parkruns, yoga retreats, and sailing courses, there’s something for everyone across the water. Go on, get out there!
Win A Holiday on a Wild Atlantic Way Island
Be in with a chance to win an incredible holiday to one of 7 Wild Atlantic Islands around West Cork.
Every raffle entry gives you the chance to win one of the 11 holiday prizes, while also helping the Sherkin Island Community purchase the old National School.
Participating islands are Sherkin, Bere, Cape Clear, Dursey, Heir, Long & Whiddy Islands.
Sherkin Vocal Workshop welcomes both novice and experienced singers to develop their vocal skills and confidence with professional voice coach Brian O’Donnell.
Learn how to sing with freedom and confidence in this vocal workshop led by professional singer, voice teacher, and music director Brian O’Donnell. Brian served on the faculty of SUNY Brockport in New York where he teaches voice classes and directs the College-Community Chorus, and is now based in Kilcrohane on the Sheep’s Head peninsula.
In addition, he has served on the faculty of Roberts Wesleyan College and the Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium in Spoleto, Italy. As a singer he has performed in professional productions of 1776, Forever Plaid, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof and the Rink. In addition he has sung on Broadway with the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players and in Italy as part of the Spoleto Vocal Arts Symposium.
As a Music Director, he has directed over 75 musicals. Favourites include the Sound of Music, Godspell, Rent, Hair, Legally Blonde, Avenue Q, and Into the Woods.
What does the fee include?
- 3 nights B&B
- 3 dinners at Sherkin North Shore
- Group and private lessons
Who should attend?
Anyone who loves to sing, from novices to experienced singers.
What does the workshop offer?
- Morning group sessions from 10am-12pm: topics covered include breathing, discovering your
maximum resonance, singing with emotion, and lyric interpretation. - Afternoon individual sessions from 1pm to 6pm.
What do I need to bring?
Participants should bring sheet music of two solo compositions they would like to work on for the week.
Transport and accommodation contacts
- Ferry transport by Vincent O’Driscoll. Contact him at 087-244-7828 regarding times and rates.
sherkinferry.com - Sherkin North Shore – kathy@sherkinnorthshore.com Tel: 087 618 5368
Contact Brian O’Donnell for further details 087 1684933 or email brianclickner@gmail.com
Enjoy a parkrun the Wild Atlantic Way when you join us on Bere Island for our weekly, timed 5k run!
The views across Bantry Bay are spectacular, and the event is suitable for all abilities: walk, jog or run and test yourself against your best time … It’s up to you!
The event takes place at the GAA club Rerrin village, Bere Island, Beara, Co. Cork, and it’s free to enter. To collect your time, you’ll need to be a registered parkrunner, and bring your barcode. You can register online here.
Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Bakehouse cafe, Rerrin village, on the island – please come and join us!
Travel to the Bere Island parkrun
Two ferries run to Bere Island. One runs from the pontoon, just outside Castletownbere, into Rerrin village, just 5 minutes walk from the parkrun startline. It leaves at 8am during June, July and August only. See here for details.
The other leaves Castletownbere for the island’s West End at 9am each Saturday throughout the year. From there, you can join the weekly parkrun bus service. Call Colum on 086 2423140 to book the ferry and bus for a special deal of €10.
Accommodation
To find out more about accommodation available on Bere Island, see http://bereisland.net
Enjoy a parkrun the Wild Atlantic Way when you join us on Bere Island for our weekly, timed 5k run!
The views across Bantry Bay are spectacular, and the event is suitable for all abilities: walk, jog or run and test yourself against your best time … It’s up to you!
The event takes place at the GAA club Rerrin village, Bere Island, Beara, Co. Cork, and it’s free to enter. To collect your time, you’ll need to be a registered parkrunner, and bring your barcode. You can register online here.
Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Bakehouse cafe, Rerrin village, on the island – please come and join us!
Travel to the Bere Island parkrun
Two ferries run to Bere Island. One runs from the pontoon, just outside Castletownbere, into Rerrin village, just 5 minutes walk from the parkrun startline. It leaves at 8am during June, July and August only. See here for details.
The other leaves Castletownbere for the island’s West End at 9am each Saturday throughout the year. From there, you can join the weekly parkrun bus service. Call Colum on 086 2423140 to book the ferry and bus for a special deal of €10.
Accommodation
To find out more about accommodation available on Bere Island, see http://bereisland.net
Enjoy a parkrun the Wild Atlantic Way when you join us on Bere Island for our weekly, timed 5k run!
The views across Bantry Bay are spectacular, and the event is suitable for all abilities: walk, jog or run and test yourself against your best time … It’s up to you!
The event takes place at the GAA club Rerrin village, Bere Island, Beara, Co. Cork, and it’s free to enter. To collect your time, you’ll need to be a registered parkrunner, and bring your barcode. You can register online here.
Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Bakehouse cafe, Rerrin village, on the island – please come and join us!
Travel to the Bere Island parkrun
Two ferries run to Bere Island. One runs from the pontoon, just outside Castletownbere, into Rerrin village, just 5 minutes walk from the parkrun startline. It leaves at 8am during June, July and August only. See here for details.
The other leaves Castletownbere for the island’s West End at 9am each Saturday throughout the year. From there, you can join the weekly parkrun bus service. Call Colum on 086 2423140 to book the ferry and bus for a special deal of €10.
Accommodation
To find out more about accommodation available on Bere Island, see http://bereisland.net
Enjoy a parkrun the Wild Atlantic Way when you join us on Bere Island for our weekly, timed 5k run!
The views across Bantry Bay are spectacular, and the event is suitable for all abilities: walk, jog or run and test yourself against your best time … It’s up to you!
The event takes place at the GAA club Rerrin village, Bere Island, Beara, Co. Cork, and it’s free to enter. To collect your time, you’ll need to be a registered parkrunner, and bring your barcode. You can register online here.
Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Bakehouse cafe, Rerrin village, on the island – please come and join us!
Travel to the Bere Island parkrun
Two ferries run to Bere Island. One runs from the pontoon, just outside Castletownbere, into Rerrin village, just 5 minutes walk from the parkrun startline. It leaves at 8am during June, July and August only. See here for details.
The other leaves Castletownbere for the island’s West End at 9am each Saturday throughout the year. From there, you can join the weekly parkrun bus service. Call Colum on 086 2423140 to book the ferry and bus for a special deal of €10.
Accommodation
To find out more about accommodation available on Bere Island, see http://bereisland.net
Enjoy a parkrun the Wild Atlantic Way when you join us on Bere Island for our weekly, timed 5k run!
The views across Bantry Bay are spectacular, and the event is suitable for all abilities: walk, jog or run and test yourself against your best time … It’s up to you!
The event takes place at the GAA club Rerrin village, Bere Island, Beara, Co. Cork, and it’s free to enter. To collect your time, you’ll need to be a registered parkrunner, and bring your barcode. You can register online here.
Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Bakehouse cafe, Rerrin village, on the island – please come and join us!
Travel to the Bere Island parkrun
Two ferries run to Bere Island. One runs from the pontoon, just outside Castletownbere, into Rerrin village, just 5 minutes walk from the parkrun startline. It leaves at 8am during June, July and August only. See here for details.
The other leaves Castletownbere for the island’s West End at 9am each Saturday throughout the year. From there, you can join the weekly parkrun bus service. Call Colum on 086 2423140 to book the ferry and bus for a special deal of €10.
Accommodation
To find out more about accommodation available on Bere Island, see http://bereisland.net
Enjoy a parkrun the Wild Atlantic Way when you join us on Bere Island for our weekly, timed 5k run!
The views across Bantry Bay are spectacular, and the event is suitable for all abilities: walk, jog or run and test yourself against your best time … It’s up to you!
The event takes place at the GAA club Rerrin village, Bere Island, Beara, Co. Cork, and it’s free to enter. To collect your time, you’ll need to be a registered parkrunner, and bring your barcode. You can register online here.
Every week we grab a post parkrun coffee in the Bakehouse cafe, Rerrin village, on the island – please come and join us!
Travel to the Bere Island parkrun
Two ferries run to Bere Island. One runs from the pontoon, just outside Castletownbere, into Rerrin village, just 5 minutes walk from the parkrun startline. It leaves at 8am during June, July and August only. See here for details.
The other leaves Castletownbere for the island’s West End at 9am each Saturday throughout the year. From there, you can join the weekly parkrun bus service. Call Colum on 086 2423140 to book the ferry and bus for a special deal of €10.
Accommodation
To find out more about accommodation available on Bere Island, see http://bereisland.net
