Lambay Island
island in the Irish Sea off the coast of County Dublin, Ireland
Lambay Island (Irish: Reachrainn), often simply Lambay (, LAM-bay), is an island in the Irish Sea off the coast of north County Dublin, Ireland. The largest island off the east coast of Ireland, it is four kilometres (two nautical miles) offshore from the headland at Portrane, and is the easternmost point of the province of Leinster. Of volcanic origin, it has been inhabited since the prehistoric period and has been the subject of multiple archaeological studies. Lambay has notable populations of seabirds, a range of local fauna, some not found elsewhere in Ireland, and a colony of wallabies, as well as more than 300 plant varieties, and was the subject of major studies of flora and birds, and a major multidisciplinary study of flora and fauna between 1905 and 1907. The island is privately owned by a trust for members of certain branches of the Baring family and managed by the current Baron Revelstoke. It has a very small permanent population and few buildings but hosts some day visitors and short-stay guests, and there is a working farm.
Etymology
The name 'Lambay' comes from Old Norse Lamb ey meaning "lamb island". The name probably originated from the practice of sending ewes to the island in Spring so they could lamb in a predator-free environment. A similar place name is Lamba in Shetland.
The Irish name for the island is Reachrainn, which is also the Irish name for Rathlin Island.
The public source identifies “Lambay Island” as island in the Irish Sea off the coast of County Dublin, Ireland. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Lambay, Island and island.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Lambay Island”, the useful work is to connect “island in the Irish Sea off the coast of County Dublin, Ireland” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 10, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1520062. VIAF identifies the subject as 315529604. The Library of Congress control number is sh2004144618. Authority coordinates are 53.491, -6.015. 1 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1905 and 1907.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Lambay Island”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Lambay Island primary sources, Lambay Island archive and Lambay research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Lambay Island”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Lambay Island” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.