Ireland Guide
Cork
Garinish Island (Ilnacullin)
In 1910, the MP Annan Bryce bought Garinish (aka Ilnacullin) from the British War Office and, after shipping in all the topsoil, gradually turned the rocky inshore island into an exotic garden oasis. Having passed into public ownership in 1953, the island is now a delightful and accessible escape from the mainland, especially in summer, when colourful plants from around the world set the island alight against a backdrop of the sparse, jagged mountains just across the water. The island's centrepiece is a formal Italianate garden, surrounded by a walled garden and wilder areas, a Grecian temple with magnificent views of the Caha Mountains and a Martello tower. There's a coffee shop and a one-hour self-guided trail around the gardens, and serious horticulturalists should pick up the Heritage Service's guidebook, which includes detailed plant lists.
Practicalities
The ten-minute boat trip to the island takes you past the lush islets of Glengarriff Harbour, where you may see basking seals. It costs €12 return with Harbour Queen Ferries ( 
027/63116, 
www.harbourqueenferry.com ) from opposite the Eccles Hotel; €10 with the Blue Pool Ferry ( 027/63333, www.bluepoolferry.com ), based next to Murphy's right in the centre of the village; or €7.50 with the Lady Ellen, from Ellen's Rock, about 2km west of the village off the Castletownbere road ( 027/63110 or 087 944 3784). These prices don't include admission to the island (March & Oct Mon– Sat 10am–4.30pm, Sun 1–5pm; April Mon– Sat 10am–6.30pm, Sun 1–6.30pm; May & Sept Mon– Sat 10am–6.30pm, Sun noon–6.30pm; June Mon– Sat 10am–6.30pm, Sun 11am–6.30pm; July & Aug Mon– Sat 9.30am–6.30pm, Sun 11am–6.30pm; €3.70; Heritage Card; www.heritageireland.ie ).