THE REMOTE ISLANDS scattered along Ireland’s coastline have enticed generations of visitors from across the globe.

The Aran Islands, in particular, inspired some of the celebrated works by playwright John Millington Synge and painter Jack Yeats. Both explored the relationship between the land and its inhabitants in great detail in their respective fields.

From Rathlin all the way down to Inch, Ireland’s coastline has a plethora of stunning islands to explore, with diverse landscapes of rocky shorelines, overgrown fields and clusters of livestock.

Here’s a selection of twelve images capturing the essence of Ireland’s stunning island life.

1. The rugged ruins of Cromwell’s Court with a view of the Atlantic, on the edge of Galway’s Inishbofin

2. An overgrown path through Sherkin Island’s greenery off the south coast

3. The perfect view of Keem Bay on Achill Island

4. A sunset fit for a King on Tory Island, home to Donegal-born artist King Patsy Dan Rodgers

5. Pretty flora adorning the cliffs of Clare Island

6. The beaches of Rathlin Island, prime locations for seal spotting off Co Antrim

7. A gathering of birds on Puffin Island, a nature reserve off the Kerry coast

8. The quintessential island image, complete with quaint lighthouse, on Mutton Island, Co Clare

9. An aerial view of Inch Castle gives a different perspective of Inch Island on the tip of Donegal

10. In close proximity to Dublin’s city centre, Ireland’s Eye in Howth gives urban dwellers a taste of island scenery

11. The stone walls synonymous with the West make Inis Meain look like a natural maze

12. The colours of the rainbow illuminate Bere Island, in this overhead snap of Co Cork’s coast

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