Days Out NI
Nature & wildlife Maghery

Coney Island (Lough Neagh)

A wooded National Trust island a kilometre out on Lough Neagh, reached by summer boat

6 photos
OpenMaghery Country Park is open all year. Bo…
FreeNo ticket needed
MagheryNature & wildlife
Get directionsOfficial website
Half a dayHow long
FreeEntry
School-age and…Best for
WelcomeDogs
FreeParking

Coney Island (Lough Neagh) — A wooded National Trust island a kilometre out on Lough Neagh, reached by summer boat.

  • What you'll see: A 10th-century round tower, St Patrick's Stone, a 16th-century O'Neill tower and an Anglo-Norman motte, plus swans, herons and waterbirds around the lough.
  • Season: Maghery Country Park is open all year. Boat trips to the island run at weekends in the summer season only and depend on weather. Check before you go.
  • Dogs: Dogs are allowed at Maghery Country Park if kept under close control, and owners must clean up after them. Boat operators may have their own rules, so check before turning up with a dog.
  • Parking: Free off-street parking at Maghery Country Park.
  • Food: No café on the island or confirmed at the park; bring a picnic.
  • Toilets: Not confirmed on the island; check at Maghery Country Park before you cross.
Plan your visit

An island all to yourselves

The crossing is the bit kids remember: a short boat ride out across open water to land on your own wooded island. Once ashore you can follow paths under the trees to the stump of a 10th-century round tower, the weathered O'Neill stone tower from the 1500s and the grassy Anglo-Norman motte. St Patrick's Stone and the old Coney Cottage are dotted through the woods too. In high summer, when the water drops, you can sometimes pick out the line of the submerged causeway locals call St Patrick's Road. It is a real explorer's island, so bring sturdy shoes and let them roam.

Free island Boat trip out 10th-century round tower Woodland walks Birdwatching Free parking
Good to know before you go:

The boat service to the island is itself a seasonal summer event, and operators around Lough Neagh run guided trips and heritage cruises through the warmer months. Dates and times vary year to year, so check ahead.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🔭BinocularsHalf the fun is spotting the birds, seals or deer before they spot you.
  • 👟Walking shoes or welliesPaths can be soft, grassy or muddy after rain — comfy waterproof feet win.
  • 🧥A coatOut in the open the weather changes fast; dress for it and enjoy the fresh air.
  • 💧Water and a snackReserves are quiet places — few have a café, so pack a little something.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost
Free. The island and Maghery Country Park are both free; you only pay the boat operator for the crossing.
Opening / season
Maghery Country Park is open all year. Boat trips to the island run at weekends in the summer season only and depend on weather. Check before you go.
Best for ages
School-age and up, who'll enjoy the boat ride and exploring the woods and ruins.
What you'll see
A 10th-century round tower, St Patrick's Stone, a 16th-century O'Neill tower and an Anglo-Norman motte, plus swans, herons and waterbirds around the lough.
Food
No café on the island or confirmed at the park; bring a picnic.
Toilets
Not confirmed on the island; check at Maghery Country Park before you cross.
Parking
Free off-street parking at Maghery Country Park.
Dogs
Dogs are allowed at Maghery Country Park if kept under close control, and owners must clean up after them. Boat operators may have their own rules, so check before turning up with a dog.
Accessibility
The island is reached only by boat and has natural woodland paths, so it is not suited to wheelchairs or buggies. The mainland park has level woodland trails.
How long to allow
Half a day, including the park walks, the crossing and a picnic.
Address
Maghery Country Park, Maghery, Co. Armagh (about five miles from the M1). Coney Island lies roughly 1km offshore.
Questions

Before you go

Is it free?
Free. The island and Maghery Country Park are both free; you only pay the boat operator for the crossing.
What will we see?
A 10th-century round tower, St Patrick's Stone, a 16th-century O'Neill tower and an Anglo-Norman motte, plus swans, herons and waterbirds around the lough.
When is the best time to go?
Maghery Country Park is open all year. Boat trips to the island run at weekends in the summer season only and depend on weather. Check before you go.
Can I bring the dog?
Dogs are allowed at Maghery Country Park if kept under close control, and owners must clean up after them. Boat operators may have their own rules, so check before turning up with a dog.
Where do I park?
Free off-street parking at Maghery Country Park.
Getting there

Coney Island (Lough Neagh) is at Maghery Country Park, Maghery, Co. Armagh (about five miles from the M1). Coney Island lies roughly 1km offshore.. Free off-street parking at Maghery Country Park. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around MagherySee what else is close by More nature & wildlife across NIReserves, loughs, woods and wetlands
The story

About the place

Coney Island has been settled for thousands of years. Excavations in 1962-63 found a settlement dating back to Neolithic and Bronze Age times, and in the early Christian period the island held a monastic site, of which the round tower remains are thought to be a part.

In the Middle Ages a native settlement and a small iron industry flourished here, and the powerful O'Neill dynasty used the island as one of their major strongholds until Sir Henry Sidney took it in 1567. The original Irish name, Inis Dabhaill, means 'island of the Blackwater'; the English name comes from 'coney', an old word for rabbit.

James Caulfeild, 7th Viscount Charlemont, bought the island in the 1890s and built a summer residence there in 1895. The National Trust has owned Coney Island since 1946, when it was given by Fred Storey, and it is managed today by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.