Oileán Thoraí

 Tory Island

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• An Chros Tau - The Tau Cross.

This type of cross has also been found in Egypt, dating from the same era. 

It was carved from a single slab of stone. Tory Islanders have a tradition of saying a prayer here before going out to sea. It dates to the same time period as St. Colm Cille's Monastery.

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• An tSean-Reilig

The Old Graveyard is next to the pier. It is believed to have been the site of the main church in the Monastery, called an Teampall Buí.

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• Ulaí Eoin Baiste, St John's Altar.

This is one of three surviving oratories on the Island, it is suspected that there were at least seven at a time. 

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• An Cloigtheach - Round Bell Tower

The Round Tower was built from granite boulders in the 6th century. St. Colm Cille's Bell hung in the tower until a lightening strike in the late eighteenth century. It was reported to have been stolen by Coastguards a short time after that. 

• Ulaí Bhríde  - Oratory of St. Brigid, a stone chalice that was found here is now in the National Museum, it was believed to have been used by St. Colm Cille and legend has it that the water collected in the chalice would relieve labor pain. 

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• Teach an tSolais - Lighthouse

In April 1828,  the Harbor Commissioners and Merchants of Sligo requested that a Lighthouse be built on Tory Island, it was granted by the Ballast Board. Inspector George Halpin was appointed chief Architect. The Tower became operational on the 1st August 1832. 
 The tower is 27m high and the walls are 2.3m thick to withstand the Atlantic storms. Prior to May of 1956 the colour of the tower was black, a single white band was then added, which can be seen today. The original oil lamps and reflectors were replaced with a dioptric lens (refraction of light) with a multi-wick oil lamp in 1862. The next update to the light was in 1887, the fuel was now coal gas and the optics were revolving, giving the flashing characteristic to the lighthouse. This source of fuel lasted until after World War 1, in 1923. Vaporised paraffin was used next from 1923 until 1972, after that, electricity was the fuel of choice. With that, the intensity of the light increased to a reach of 30 nautical miles. The duration of the flash increased to 0.2 seconds. The character of the light Gp Fl (4) every 30 seconds did not change.

Shaun Doherty was the last lighthouse keeper on Tory, he took my Great Uncle Mick, a fit dancer in his 90's, on a tour of the lighthouse, he was the oldest person to have made it to the top. Morse Code Signal Flags were kept there in good order. In March 1990, the Lighthouse became automatic and the keeper was no longer needed.  Irish Lights in Dun Laoghaire, in Dublin now look after the Lighthouse (IrishLights2023).

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• An Reilig Ghallda 

On the 23rd September, 1884, a Royal Navy Gunboat, the H.M.S Wasp was en route from Westport, Co Mayo, under the orders of an absentee British Landlord, to carry out evictions of 3 familes on Inistrahull Island, north of Malin Head, the crew of the HMS Wasp were due to collect Bailiffs and police in Moville. The ship struck rocks, twice beneath the Lighthouse, the 125ft boat, weighing 465 tons, with 360 horsepower stream engine sank in 15mins. 52 men, including the Commander, 39 year old Lieutenant JD Nicholls, were killed. 5 people survived. 8 are buried in the Foreigner's Graveyard (J.J mc Ginley The Irish Story 2023, F. Mc Nally, The Irish Times 2019).

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• Derek Hill's Hut.

Derek Hill was born in 1916, he studied stage design in Munich when he was 17. He furthered his studies in Vienna. His work brought him to Moscow for 6 months in 1936. After that, he took a year out to travel East on the Trans Siberian Express and explored Japan, China, Bali and Siam. It was in Paris in 1937 that he met and was greatly influenced by Edward Molyneux, a fashion designer and collector of impressionist art. Derek rented an old mill in the Loire and started to paint. World War Two broke out and he retreated back to England, where he worked in farming and painted in his spare time. In 1943, at the age of 27, Derek Hill presented a solo exhibition in the Nicholson Gallery, London. He spent 1946 painting along the West coast of Ireland for a year. After 1947, he went to Italy, it was here that he met American millionaire, Henry McIlhenney, owner of Glenveagh Castle, Co. Donegal. Derek paid him a visit there in 1949. In 1953 Derek bought the nearby Old St Columb’s rectory and 20 acres beside a lake for £1000. It is now known as the Glebe House, Derek moved in the following year. 1958 was the year he first made the journey out to Tory Island. He was inspired by the light and rugged vastness of the landscape.

He rented a hut near the Lighthouse and spent many weeks every summer painting with oils. He encouraged locals to paint, which led to the  development of a whole school of native painters, including James Dixon and later, The King Patsy Dan Rodgers. In 1982 Derek Hill donated his collection and home in Gartan, to the Irish people. He bought a cottage nearby and travelled between there and London. In 1997 he was made a CBE. In 1999, he was made an honorary Irish Citizen by President Mary McAleese. Derek Hill died in London in July 2000 (The Guardian, Dublin Castle, Irish Museum of Modern Art 2023).

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• Dixons' Gallery

This artists' gallery which was closed since 2018, has been reopened by local artist Noreen Meenan in 2023.

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• An Ché - The Pier at West Town

The pier was built in 1903 by the Congested Districts Board.

 

• Teach an Phobail - St. Colm Cille's Chapel.

Built in 1857, it was designed by architect E.W. Goodwin, The stained glass windows by Patrick Pollen created the stained glass windows and were presented by Derek Hill to thank the islanders for their generosity and kindness.

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• Dún Bhaloir - Balor's Fort.

An early Iron Age promontory defense fort.  

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• Leac na Leannán -The Wishing Stone

A wish is granted to a person who successfully throws and lands three stones, one after the other, on summit with their backs to the Wishing Stone.​

Leac na Leannán can be found on the Eastern tip of Tory Island, close to An Eochair (The Anvil) this is a spectacular 400 metre granite and quartzite ridge, jutting Northwards out into the Atlantic Ocean (Comharchumann Oileán Thoraí, Miller. Unique Ascent 2023).