Hare Island: 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.