Skerries () is a coastal town in Fingal, in the north of County Dublin, Ireland. Skerries was historically a fishing port and later a centre of hand embroidery. These industries declined in the early 20th century, however, and it became both a resort town and a commuter town for Dublin City, located approximately to the south. Offshore from the town are several islands, one of which is a nature reserve, Rockabill.
Etymology
The name Skerries comes from the Old Norse word (), referring to a skerry − a small rocky island or reef which may be covered during high tide. In Irish this is pluralised as .
Geography
Skerries is on gently sloping land approaching the coast, which is partly overlooked by low bluffs. There are hills around, including Mill Hill, where a windmill has long been sited. The town itself is built around three long streets - Strand Street, Church Street and Balbriggan Road, and between the surrounding hills and beaches. Skerries South Strand is a long sandy beach (2.5 km; 1½ miles long). Red Island, Mill Hill, Hillside, the nearby Ardgillan Park and Demesne, Barnageeragh and to a lesser extent Baldungan Castle, provide vantages overlooking the town.
The town has five islands off its coast: Shenick Island, St Patrick's, Colt and the island formation of Rockabill, which comprises "The Cow" and "The Calf", separated by a narrow channel. There is also Red Island, which is a tied island.
Rockabill has the largest number of breeding roseate terns in Europe. It is also the farthest set of islands from the town and has a lighthouse which is 4 miles from the nearest path on the mainland at Red Island.
The Martello tower on Shenick Island is one of a number of defensive towers erected during the Napoleonic Wars along the Irish coast by the British. The tower is situated 1 mile from the great windmill and a similar distance from both the Monument on Strand Street and the other Martello tower on Red Island. This forms an almost perfect arc through the major tall secular structures in the town with the Martello tower on Shenick at the centre. Shenick Island is accessible on foot at the lowest tides, but potentially problematic, due to turning tides. The other islands are harder to reach, but it is possible by boat. St Patrick's Island is so-called because Saint Patrick is reputed to have landed on the island.
History
Invasions and saints
Early writers tell how an island off Skerries was used as a landing place for an invasion, which happened in the second century C.E. This island was either Shenick or Red Island, which would have been a tidal island at the time. When the invaders landed, they formed ranks and at low tide marched to the mainland, where they were promptly defeated at the ancient settlement of Knocknagin, north of Balbriggan. The islands were previously known as the Islands of Cor possibly after the original inhabitants.
As noted, in 432 AD, St. Patrick landed on Church Island, and according to the Annals of Inisfallen Saint Mochonna founded a monastery shortly afterwards.
In 797 AD, the Vikings (or Danes) carried out one of their earliest raids in Ireland when they plundered the monastery on Church Island. As the origin of the name is Norse and many localities have Norse-based names, it is assumed that the Vikings did settle and occupy the area. Sitric, who was a son of a Dane called Murchard, re-founded the monastery on Church Island in 1120. He dedicated it to St. Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland. By this time, the Hiberno-Norse who had settled in Ireland had become Christians.
In 1148, Saint Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, arranged a synod on St. Patrick's island to settle differences between the Irish Christians and the Pope. Fifteen bishops, two hundred priests, and other clergy, were present.
The Middle Ages
In 1320, the manor of Skerries was granted to Sir Michael le Veel; his descendants Anglicised their name to Calf.
The Prior of Holmpatrick received permission to build a pier in 1496 from King Henry VII. At this time, Skerries was the property of the monastery of Holmpatrick and was known as the Port of Holmpatrick.
Reformation era
In 1565, after the Reformation, the monastery and its lands became the property of Thomas Fitzpatrick.
In the autumn of 1583, while the Catholic Church was illegal and underground, Archbishop Dermot O'Hurley arranged for a sea captain to smuggle him into Ireland from the French port of Le Croisic and drop him upon Holmpatrick Strand in Skerries. Archbishop O'Hurley, who later became one of the 24 Irish Catholic Martyrs, was met at Skerries by a priest named Fr. John Dillon, who accompanied him to Drogheda.