Point of Island More (Corkan Island), River Foyle, 3 March 2024 DSC_1327-2
Strabane Lifford Anglers Association (SLAA) have had access to this part of the river for many years, from the “Point of the River Finn” (the confulence of the River Mourne and River Finn which forms the River Foyle) right down to this upstream point of Corkan Island (Island More). The island splits the River Foyle in two, the east bank lies in Northern Ireland while the border runs right down the centre of the river east while the island itself and the river west lie in the Republic of Ireland.
The townlands of Island More & Corkan Island together form an island located in the middle of the River Foyle in the Parish of Clonleigh, Co. Donegal. Island More is 177 acres and Corkan Island is 109 acres. The Great Northern Railway (GNR) ran from Omagh to Derry/Londonderry and crossed the island via two metal railway bridges. The 'Red Bridge' to the North at Glenfad near Porthall which is still accessible and is predominately used by the farming community and the gravel extraction company while the bridge onto Island More to the South was demolished by the British Army during the Northern Ireland 'Troubles', as where many small cross-border roads (unapproved roads). The intention was to make these roads impassable and prevent paramilitary movements across the border thus forcing vehicles to use the main roads which were subject to security checks by the RUC & British Army.
The bridge to the South is known locally as 'McKinney's Bridge' it crossed the River Foyle which forms the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, hence the reason why 'McKinney's bridge was demolished and is now unusable while the Red Bridge located in the Republic of Ireland is still usable.
When growing up, I knew Island More (Corkan Island) as 'Marreco's Island', named after Anthony Freire Marreco who was a British barrister and maintained a home at Porthall, a Georgian house (Porthall House) near Lifford, Co. Donegal on the banks of the river adjacent the Island.
The British Attorney-General, Sir Hartley Shawcross, was a friend of Marreco's father (Geoffrey) and he invited Marreco to become Junior Counsel of the British Delegation at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal where he witnessed the trials of Rudolf Hess and Hermann Göring, whom Marreco considered "totally compelling". Marreco was present in November 1946 when sentences were passed down on Hess and Göring.
Marreco strenuously opposed salmon poaching, then running at £1 million worth of fish a year. He became chairman of the Foyle Fisheries Commission (now known as the ‘Loughs Agency’) and immersed himself in every aspect of Ireland's cultural and political life.
Point of Island More (Corkan Island), River Foyle, 3 March 2024 DSC_1327-2
Strabane Lifford Anglers Association (SLAA) have had access to this part of the river for many years, from the “Point of the River Finn” (the confulence of the River Mourne and River Finn which forms the River Foyle) right down to this upstream point of Corkan Island (Island More). The island splits the River Foyle in two, the east bank lies in Northern Ireland while the border runs right down the centre of the river east while the island itself and the river west lie in the Republic of Ireland.
The townlands of Island More & Corkan Island together form an island located in the middle of the River Foyle in the Parish of Clonleigh, Co. Donegal. Island More is 177 acres and Corkan Island is 109 acres. The Great Northern Railway (GNR) ran from Omagh to Derry/Londonderry and crossed the island via two metal railway bridges. The 'Red Bridge' to the North at Glenfad near Porthall which is still accessible and is predominately used by the farming community and the gravel extraction company while the bridge onto Island More to the South was demolished by the British Army during the Northern Ireland 'Troubles', as where many small cross-border roads (unapproved roads). The intention was to make these roads impassable and prevent paramilitary movements across the border thus forcing vehicles to use the main roads which were subject to security checks by the RUC & British Army.
The bridge to the South is known locally as 'McKinney's Bridge' it crossed the River Foyle which forms the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, hence the reason why 'McKinney's bridge was demolished and is now unusable while the Red Bridge located in the Republic of Ireland is still usable.
When growing up, I knew Island More (Corkan Island) as 'Marreco's Island', named after Anthony Freire Marreco who was a British barrister and maintained a home at Porthall, a Georgian house (Porthall House) near Lifford, Co. Donegal on the banks of the river adjacent the Island.
The British Attorney-General, Sir Hartley Shawcross, was a friend of Marreco's father (Geoffrey) and he invited Marreco to become Junior Counsel of the British Delegation at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal where he witnessed the trials of Rudolf Hess and Hermann Göring, whom Marreco considered "totally compelling". Marreco was present in November 1946 when sentences were passed down on Hess and Göring.
Marreco strenuously opposed salmon poaching, then running at £1 million worth of fish a year. He became chairman of the Foyle Fisheries Commission (now known as the ‘Loughs Agency’) and immersed himself in every aspect of Ireland's cultural and political life.