Cross to Abbey Island at low tide
The ruin stands on Abbey Island, joined to the sand by silt so you can walk over dry-shod — but only when the tide is out. At high tide, and on new-moon and full-moon tides, the crossing is submerged.
Derrynane Abbey
4.7 (245)
About
A roofless sixth-century ruin perched on a beach-linked "island", Derrynane Abbey overlooks one of Ireland's loveliest strands — and you can only walk out to it when the tide is out.
Things to Do
Explore the abbey ruins
Only three roofless buildings survive, the highlight being a shale-and-limestone Romanesque church with a low door and sea-facing arched windows still in remarkable condition.
The cemetery and Celtic crosses
The graveyard is still in use and coffins are shouldered across the sand; look for Celtic crosses and the graves of Mary O'Connell, wife of Daniel O'Connell, and the poet Tomás Rua Ó Súilleabháin.
Derrynane Beach
Below the abbey this Blue Flag beach is good for a swim or picnic; swim only in the marked areas and mind the strong currents of 'Danger Beach'. Derrynane Sea Sports hires kayaks, sailing boats and windsurfing gear.
Derrynane House
A short walk inland, the ancestral home of Daniel O'Connell is now a museum of his life and relics, set in over 120 hectares of coastal parkland.
Plan Your Visit
- Hours: The abbey is an open-access ruin with no gates or fixed hours, but it can only be reached when the tide is out. Nearby Derrynane House (same park) opens daily 10:00–16:45 from 13 March to 30 September, and 10:00–16:00 in October–1 November 2026.
- Admission: Free — it is an open-access ruin
- Parking: Paid car park right beside Derrynane Beach, with a height-restriction barrier; it fills up on peak summer days. Follow signs for Derrynane House, then Derrynane Beach.
- Food: No food at the abbey itself. Derrynane House, part of the same park, has a café, and the Blind Piper pub in Caherdaniel (about 2 miles away) serves seafood chowder.
Watch More
See it on the map
Load the interactive map to explore this place location.
