Inishbofin, from the Irish Inis Bó Finne meaning ‘Island of the White Cow’, is a small island off the coast of Connemara, County Galway.
Around 665, Saint Colmán founded a monastery on Inishbofin.
In the 16th century, according to local tradition, a Spanish pirate named Alonzo Bosco built a stronghold on Port Island, where the Cromwellian fort stands today.
Bosco was supposed to have been an ally of the renowned Gráinne Mhaol (Gráinne O’Malley), chieftain of the O’Malley clan.
One story had them stretching a defensive iron chain across Inishbofin’s harbour entrance to make it impassable to enemy ships.
Across the harbour entrance from Port Island sits ‘Dún Gráinne’, the fort where Gráinne supposedly lived.
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