A picturesque old-world village consisting mainly of one steep street leading directly down to a small harbour, interrupted half way by two trees in the middle of the road. It has high walled gardens and an air of quiet reserve. By the harbour is Castle Townshend, still the home of the Townshend family.
This attractive village has strong associations with the authors Sommerville and Ross, two victorian ladies whose works included “Tales of an Irish RM”. They lived most of their lives here, and are now buried in the graveyard of the lovely little Church of Ireland church of St. Barrahane at the seaward end of the village. See the story of the Somerville family inside the church on an extraordinary marble tablet. Inside also are three small stained glass windows by Harry Clarke, one of Ireland’s most famous stained glass artists.
