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Hare Island

Hare Island

About:

Hare Island which belongs to the Barony of Kilkenny West and the parish of Bunowen is, geographically speaking, very close to Coosan Point. The ancient name for Hare Island was Inis Ainghin.The name 'Inis Ainghin' turns up in various annals (including the Annals of the Four Masters and the Annals of Clonmacnoise) as well as in the Latin and Irish lives of St. Ciaran.

Hare Island is an island which lies adjoining the Tuticorin port. It is a very good picnic spot for holiday seekers and the domestic tourist. Many tourists visit here during the Pongal holidays when special buses are operated for the benefit of the tourists.

Heir (Hare) Island is one of Carbery’s Hundred Isles that lie scattered throughout Roaringwater Bay. The island is beautifully located, surrounded by a panorama of Sherkin Island, Cape Clear, the Calf Islands, the East and West Skeams, and Mount Gabriel to the North. Visitors should be aware that Heir Island is sometimes referred to as "Hare Island" on roadsigns.

In the Annals of Clonmacnoise, under the year 1087, we find the following entry: "Munstermen brought a greater fleet on the river of Synann, and Loghrye & robbed and took spoyles of the churches upon the islands of the Lough, King of Connaught, seeing, hee caused to be stopped the foordes on the Synann called Adyrchreach and Rathkrae, to the end they should be at liberty to pass the said passages at their Returnes, and were driven to the turne to Athlone where they were overtaken by Donell Mcfflynn O'Melaghlin, King of Meath, to whose protection they wholly committed themselves and yielded all their shippes, barkes, boates and coyttes alsoe to be disposed off at his pleasure, which hee received and sent safe conduct with them until they were left in their native place in Mounster"

In the parliament of 1661 Athlone was represented by a Dublin merchant, Ridgely Hatfield, who was sheriff of Westmeath, and Lt. Arthur St. George, both of whom were ex-commonwealth supporters. In the Cromwellian settlements Hatfield was granted land including Hare Island. It passed from the Hatfield family to a family named Hackett in the eighteenth century. The Hackett family in turn sold the island to the Handcock family, one of the two ruling families of Athlone, who had their seat at Moydrum Castle and a sporting lodge on Hare Island.

Apart from the landlords of the island there was also a peasant population. A family called Duffy, the proprietors of the island today, has had a connection with the island for over 200 years. In common with many of the other islands it is virtually impossible to say when they arrived on the island but educated guess would suggest that it was following seventeenth century land confiscations in Roscommon.

Location info:
Address:Hare Island,Thoothukudi,Tamil Nadu,India
District:Thoothukudi
Nearest City:Thoothukudi
Best time to visit: November to February

Climate/Weather:
Summer Temp: 36°C Max 32°C Min
Winter Temp: 23°C Max 10°C Min

History:
In the Annals of the Four Masters it states that in 894 AD: "An army was led by the Connaughtmen into Westmeath, Inis Aingin was profaned and a man was mortally wounded in the middle of it, and the shrine of Ciaran there, and a synod of seniors, with Cairbre Crom, Bishop of Cluain-Mic-Nois. A victory was gained on the same day over the Connaughtmen, at Ath-Luain [Athlone], by [the men of] Westmeath, and a slaughter of heads left behind with them".

Interesting things to do:
Activities: Art classes, bird watching, diving, walking, cycling, sailing and sailing courses.
Did you know?: Houses on the island fit in with the traditional cottage design that dates back to the 1920s and which has been uniquely preserved to this day.
Highlights: Sandy beaches; angling and boat trips around neighbouring islands; cookery classes.

Interesting things to Visit:
Flora and Fauna:
Today the island remains in private ownership. It is a haven for wild-life and a wonderfully natural habitat – with its predominantly oak woodland and exceptionally rich ground flora. Examples of rare and unusual plant-life found on the island include the narrow leafed helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia), betony (Stachys officinalis) and the water germander (Teucrium scordium). The bird-life recorded in the vicinity of Hare Island includes the Manx shearwater, common scoter, red breasted merganser, woodcock, garden warbler and blackcap. The island boasts a healthy population of butterflies including the Brimstone a large yellow butterfly which is abundant along the Shannon where its larvae can be found on buckthorn, but it is absent from much of the country. during field-trips to the area in 1976-77.

Mobile range info:
 

How to reach?
Nearest Railway Station:Thoothukudi is well connected by broad Gauge Rail. Tuticorin City railway Station is declared as a Model station and several infrastructure developments are in process.
Nearest Airport:VagaiKulam is the nearest airport to Thoothukudi.
Road Transport:The city is well connected by National Highways with Madurai and Tirunelveli.

Nearest Visiting places:

Srivaikuntam and Alwarthiru-nagari:
Srivaikuntam - Swami KallapiranThese are two Vaishnavaite shrines, which lies on the way to Tiruchendur from Tirunelveli. It is also known as Kailasapuram and has the Nataraja shrine and 8 artistically carved pillars. The most well known among them is the Kallapiran. Vaikuntanatha is the festival deity and the presiding deity of here.The sun rays fall on the main deity as token of worship on the 6th day of the Tamil month Chitthirai (April). The idol of the deity is most gracefully carved with club in hand. The pillars of the mandapam contain the carvings of lions, Yalis and elephants. During the patriotic war of Kattabomman with the British, the temple acted as a fort. There is a mud enclosure of 10 ft high running round with a gate in the middle in the north of the town. The women of this fort never mix with people beyond the wall. The outside world is sealed for them. They are called Kattai pillaimars as they never marry outside their tribe.

Nava Thiruppathis:
Navathiruppathis are the nine holy shrines of Vishnu of the district Thoothukudi. These are Thiruvaikundam, Thiruvaraguna-mangai, Thiruppulingudi, Thirukkulandai, Thirutholaivilli Mangalam, South Thirupperai, Thirukkolur and Alwar Thirunagari. The Sri Aravinda Lochana sanctum in Thiruvaikuntam is also considered as one Thiruppathi. The Nava Thiruppathis are near one another in this district.

Panchalamkurichi:
Kattabomman memorial fort This place is situated 54 kms from Tirunelveli and 3 kms from Ottappidaram. This is the home town of a 17th century freedom fighter named Kattabomman. Kattabomman`s original fort is damaged now and under the custody of Archaeological Survey of India. The Government of Tamil Nadu constructed the Kattabomman memorial fort in Panchalamkurichi in 1974.

Ettaiyapuram:
The national poet Bharathiar was born here. It is situated 71 kms from Tirunelveli. Manimandapam was constructed here for Bharathiyar. A memorial for Bharathiyar can also be seen here.

Manappadu:
It is situated 71 kms from Tirunelveli on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. A 400-year-old Holy Cross Church is seen here. Some fragments of the True Cross from Jerusalem are enshrined here. It is one of the churches connected with St. Francis Xavier.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

DCW Petrol Pump:SH 176, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Indian Oil Petrol Pump:L.F Road, Arumuganeri, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Kayalpatanam Petrol Pump:L.F Road, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Thirupathi Petrol Pump:SH 44, Ettaiyapuram, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Hotel Jony:Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India,Ph:0461 2328350

Things to carry:
 

Tips & Suggestions:
 

Help Line/Phone Number:
Police Station:

Tuticorin South Police Station:Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Tharuvaikulam Police StationThoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Arumuganeri Police Station:Arumuganeri, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India
Nearest Hospital:

Government Hospital:Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

AVM Hospital:Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Arul raj Heart hospital:Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India

Fatima Hospital:Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu,India
Society/Community Phone Number

Hare Island
Srivaikuntam and Alwarthiru-nagari:
Srivaikuntam - Swami KallapiranThese are two Vaishnavaite shrines, which lies on the way to Tiruchendur from Tirunelveli. It is also known as Kailasapuram and has the Nataraja shrine and 8 artistically carved pillars. The most well known among them is the Kallapiran. Vaikuntanatha is the festival deity and the presiding deity of here.The sun rays fall on the main deity as token of worship on the 6th day of the Tamil month Chitthirai (April). The idol of the deity is most gracefully carved with club in hand. The pillars of the mandapam contain the carvings of lions, Yalis and elephants. During the patriotic war of Kattabomman with the British, the temple acted as a fort. There is a mud enclosure of 10 ft high running round with a gate in the middle in the north of the town. The women of this fort never mix with people beyond the wall. The outside world is sealed for them. They are called Kattai pillaimars as they never marry outside their tribe...............more
Nava Thiruppathis:
Navathiruppathis are the nine holy shrines of Vishnu of the district Thoothukudi. These are Thiruvaikundam, Thiruvaraguna-mangai, Thiruppulingudi, Thirukkulandai, Thirutholaivilli Mangalam, South Thirupperai, Thirukkolur and Alwar Thirunagari. The Sri Aravinda Lochana sanctum in Thiruvaikuntam is also considered as one Thiruppathi. The Nava Thiruppathis are near one another in this district. ..........more
Panchalamkurichi:
Kattabomman memorial fort This place is situated 54 kms from Tirunelveli and 3 kms from Ottappidaram. This is the home town of a 17th century freedom fighter named Kattabomman. Kattabomman`s original fort is damaged now and under the custody of Archaeological Survey of India. The Government of Tamil Nadu constructed the Kattabomman memorial fort in Panchalamkurichi in 1974................more
Ettaiyapuram:
The national poet Bharathiar was born here. It is situated 71 kms from Tirunelveli. Manimandapam was constructed here for Bharathiyar. A memorial for Bharathiyar can also be seen here............more
Manappadu:
It is situated 71 kms from Tirunelveli on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. A 400-year-old Holy Cross Church is seen here. Some fragments of the True Cross from Jerusalem are enshrined here. It is one of the churches connected with St. Francis Xavier............more