Anne Marie McAleese writes about visiting Devenish Island

Just a few miles from Enniskillen on the Kesh Road, the unassuming starting point is where Belcoo man Barry Flanagan begins his water taxi tours to the impressive Sixth Century round tower on Devenish Island.

On the day that I arrive, the experienced skipper and guide is navigating his way back from this ancient settlement with a boat full of people suitably dazzled by their experience on this historic strip of Fermanagh landscape.

For a couple from Sheffield on holidays, it was their first visit, and will live long in their memory.

They talk about the stonework and the sheer engineering genius of the ancient defensive structure.

A local woman from Garrison explains that the last time she was here was with her late grandparents.

She says this made the trip even more special and marvels at the history and how well the visitor centre brings it all to life.

As they say farewell, Barry helps me on to the luxurious, canary yellow craft. A proud Fermanagh man, he revels in his work and delights in the ringing endorsements.

“It’s great to have happy customers from near and far.

“The amount of people who tell you that they’ve been here before and remember going up to the tower when they were young never ceases to amaze me.

“Many come back because they have those fond recollections from years ago.”

In my travels throughout Fermanagh I have passed the sign for Trory on the road to Kesh and Irvinestown leading out to Killadeas innumerable times, and gazed curiously at the intriguing tall, pencil-shaped tower on the other side of the Lower Lough.

Repeated vows to visit are finally a reality, and my excitement is palpable.

On the day that’s in it, so far the weather is on its best behaviour, though Barry knows well that this can change in a heartbeat.

To his mind this place is just as beautiful and special on a cloudy, drizzly day as it is when the sun has got its hat on.

No doubt the many artists and writers who glean inspiration from Devenish would agree.

Barry trained as an outdoor instructor at the Share Centre in Lisnaskea and spent a lot of time on both the Upper and Lower Lough.

It soon became his favourite place to be and he was convinced that tours along this historic stretch of water would be a natural fit for an increasing fascination with the ancient history on his own doorstep.

In the few moments that it takes to cross the lough, and with the playful tickles of the wind on the water causing a slight swell, Barry explains that Devenish became a holy place 1,400 years ago when Saint Molaise stopped here as he travelled from the North Coast down to Croke Patrick in Mayo.

A halfway point on his journey, he believed it to be the ideal location in which to set up a seat of learning, a place of worship and the monastery.

“His notion was to educate people about this new Christian religion and he was adamant that this was the ideal setting.

“At that time, it would have been a very busy part of Ireland, with a steady stream of boats travelling up and down the Erne and the Shannon.”

On the approach to Devenish, we circumnavigate a sizable circular reed bed, dense with bushes and trees which temporarily hide the stunning natural tableau.

Before long, the round tower is revealed in all its glory, standing tall and proud, and inviting those who now come in peace to venture forth within its walls.

Barry confirms that it’s one of the finest examples of a round tower in Ireland.

“It’s one of only six left in the entire country with the roof intact. The stonework is also in remarkable condition, and at the very top of the roof, there are four small carved heads around the rim.

“These may be a reference to four well-known saints in Fermanagh: St. Molaise, St. Patrick, St. Bridget and St. Colmcille.

“They point out to north, south, east and west. The detail in the craftmanship is mind-boggling.”

The purpose of the round tower was defensive. It was used to protect the monastic community and the valuable assets that they had collected over the years.

Precious scripts and texts inscribed on their hand-crafted metalwork were brought up into the tower for safekeeping.

It was also a place of refuge for the community in the event of any oncoming attacks.

Despite the wind stepping up a gear, it has a soft and gentle feel and as Barry ties up the boat to guarantee our return journey, the silvery grey clouds are dispersing.

To set foot for the first time on an island where the monks arrived in the Sixth Century feels like a sacred privilege.

As we meander closer and closer along the gentle ascent to this iconic structure, we take temporary shelter at the gable end of the remains of one of the two ancient churches on Devenish, in the shadow of the monastery on the hill.

One of the small arched windows invites further inspection and becomes a great echo chamber as I poke my head inside and bask in the changing sound patterns.

The original church was a small timber structure vulnerable to attack and potential ruin from the elements and enemy forces.

As the years progressed and the monks mastered the art of dry stonewalling they replaced the wood and also created barricades which have stood the test of time ensuring that centuries later the show stopping tower is still standing tall.

At precisely 81 feet, four and three quarter inches high, it looms large and can be seen for miles around.

Standing within touching distance is breathtaking. We are diminished, tiny figures, craning our necks, gazing up in awe and wonder.

Despite countless visits to Devenish over the years, Barry confesses that he regularly takes a moment to imagine what life might have been like here 14 centuries ago.

“The more time I spend on Devenish, the more I imagine how the monks used this space – the scribes working on the manuscripts, the teachers with the children and their parents talking about the new Christian religion, and the congregations coming over here on their own boats for the services.”

For the monks, the round towers were also a symbol of wealth and prestige.

Moreover, they were used in a practical way to call the community to times of prayer.

On regular occasions, a lone monk would ring a bell from the top of the tower as a summons for the religious community, and for people from the surrounding areas to attend religious services or to help tend to the land.

In some ways, Barry continues the spirit of this tradition in his respectful explorations of Devenish.

As we take our leave of this special place, my thoughts drift to the captivating voice of Fermanagh balladeer, Gabriel McArdle.

A well-known figure from Kinawley, he is one of Ireland’s leading traditional musical artists.

The 74-year-old recently launched his first solo album, entitled ‘The Fermanagh Blackbird’, featuring traditional songs, including ‘Devenish in Dreams’.

The words of the chorus pay a fitting tribute to the island:

Oh Devenish in Dreams you look so serene,

with your lofty round tower in days that have been,

your walls may be silent but to me you’re the Queen

of lovely lough Erne and her islands so green.

In keeping with the custom on the homeward passage, I look back and say a silent prayer in the sure and certain hope of another visit to this regal and sacred landscape.