Scattery Island & Biddy Early

The famous Biddy Early, had an interesting link reputedly with Scattery Island. During the 1840s and 1850s, Biddy Early had a great love for the Island, and had a say in where houses were built on the Island. She would approve of the location of any dwelling house on the Island before it would be built on a particular spot.

It is said that Biddy advised one family not to build on a particular spot, as she foresaw that if they did, many of the inhabitants of the dwelling house would meet a watery grave. However, the build went ahead. Some years later, a twelve year old girl from the household, was sadly drowned in St. Senan’s Well. A friend, who saw the child in the well, was also drowned while she was swimming in Australia. Furthermore, in the following years, this child’s grandparents and their fourteen year old son were lost to the river while they were returning to Scattery by canoe.