What's the story here?

Reena Dhuna sits anchorage sits a bend on the river off an old 19th-century slip in a beautiful remote setting. The slip leads up to a stone boathouse in the grounds of a fine rectory. The ruin of the associated Church of Ireland building is Aghadown church and graveyard, locally called Kilcoe Church, that can be seen on a point ½ a mile upriver with its ivy-clad ruins overlooking the river.




Reena Dhuna provides a well-protected river anchorage with a pool of 2.4 metres off the slip.

How to get in?

Offshore details are available in southwestern Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Cork Harbour to Mizen Head . Seaward approaches and run up the River Ilen are covered in the Oldcourt description which is situated 2 miles upriver from Reena Dhuna.




On final approach, Reena Dhuna will be found at the head of the river bend where it turns north to pass the eastern side of the island of Inishbeg. The anchorage is northern length before the river turns east and to the northwest again.




Depths of 2 metres LAT or more will be found all the way up to the anchorage. A big holiday home will be seen on the north side of the river with a private slip just above it.

Why visit here?

Reena Dhuna takes its name from the private 19th-century country house that overlooks it the north bank of the river. The usual Irish word for a queen is rioghan, pronounced 'reean', or in old Irish rigan with its genitive riogkna 'reena'. So assuming 'Dhun' to be an anglicised from of Dún, the name is the conjunction of Dún -a'- riogkna meaning the 'fort of a Queen' or a 'Queen's fort'.

The house was most likely given the name by its first owner who was a curate for the local Aughadown, locally pronounced Affadown, Church of Ireland sited further upriver. The name Reena Dhuna is very fitting even today as it is a beautiful example of an early 19th-century country house. Around the house are farm buildings and 11.5 acres of exceptionally lovely grounds with abundant trees, lawns, walkways, a greenhouse, a pond and a walled garden. Even its boathouse, which connects it to the river, is a pretty building constructed of limestone with a barrel roof and a red-brick archway. All this tucked into this lovely protected nook of the River Ilen, it has a beautiful setting that is one of the best in West Cork.




Even the ruins of the curate's church are pretty and well worth a visit. Picturesquely situated on the river edge it was built in 1814 on the site of an older church of which no trace remains. The 1814 church was too small for its congregation by the 1870s and it was replaced in 1872 by the much larger St Matthias church a mile to the north. Neglected thereafter the church fell into ruin and gradually accrued the ivy and the general air of dereliction that is encountered today. A wander around this old church on a sunny day is rewarding and certain to leave you in a better mood.

From a boating perspective, Reena Dhuna provides a quiet river anchorage in a serene and tranquil setting with plenty of natural wildlife around. It is an ideal location to sit out bad weather in a nice quiet and beautiful setting. Many local sailors reportedly leave boats here unattended for extended periods with complete confidence that they would come to no harm. Though a sequestered location, Baltimore Harbour is just a 10-minute tender ride for those that get up on the plane. Skibbereen is also addressable on the rise.

What facilities are available?

Reena Dhuna in the Ilen River has no facilities. Further upriver, the large provincial town of Skibbereen is a one hour walk and is well serviced by buses. The town is the hub of west Cork and has all stores available plus one of the best Chandleries in the southwest that has nearly everything a boatman could require. A mile and a half further up river at Oldcourt, there is a quay with a boatyard frequented by trawlers, that also caters for yachts.

Any security concerns?

Never an issue known to have occurred in Reena Dhuna. The owner of the big house is a sailor and has kept an eye on unattended boats in the past. This has often been reciprocated with a bottle of duty free, which many have thought fitting for his consideration. Of course he may be away sailing so he cannot be depended upon.

With thanks to:

Burke Corbett, Gusserane, New Ross, Co. Wexford.