I have compiled a list of many remoter, harder Irish offshore islands and rocks, and on which, which kayakers are thought at present to have landed there “first”. This hopes to reflect in an obscure way an interesting insight into a small part of what Irish sea kayakers were at in the late 20th century.
A spin-off of the evolution of Oileáin is the possibility to reflect the activities of Irish sea kayakers in the late 20th century. Kayakers measure their performance in many ways. Some always want distance, some want scenery, caves, rough water, ceteceans, headlands, islands. But some, a few, want difficult landings, normally difficult island landings. Mountaineers have their first ascents, but some kayakers, like astronauts, count first landings. I have attempted to chronicle in some small way an aspect of all that here.
Landings anywhere can be difficult with conditions, but this study considers landings that are achievements at the best of times. On the one hand this virtually always requires the absence of a technically easy landing once the kayak has arrived, but there are exceptions. An exceptionally difficult passage (e.g. Inishtrahull) can sway the balance. Exceptional good luck or swimming ashore is usual. On the other hand, technical difficulty would rarely if at all be enough of itself for this study, unless extreme. A remote rock somewhere is almost always in question. There is usually a combination of factors. There always needs to be some off putting factor also present. Introduce technical difficulty, or distance off the land, or remoteness otherwise, and/or off-putting currents or conditions, and the recipe becomes complete.
Such remote rocks often have lighthouses. Landing onto hard rock from a kayak is entirely different (and almost always more difficult than) from other boats. One steps off a boat onto rock at the same height, but one slithers out of a kayak up onto rock. Remote lighthouse rocks tend to count.
Room has nowadays been found for a separate table for long distance and other odder atypical achievements.
David Walsh, Christmas 2013
| Landing | If Landed | Landers | When |
| Maidens | Yes | Not known | Early ? |
| Rockabill | Yes | Local paddler Sean Pierce, but probably many times previously. | 1990 onwards |
| Tuskar Rock | Yes | Dave Elwood, Ger Lally, Jim Fox | 1995 |
| Coningmore Rock | Yes, solo | Conor Murray | 2011 |
| Fastnet | Yes | Simon Brewitt, Ann Bogan, Joanna McInerney | 1988 |
| Dursey Calf | Yes | 2 Kerry paddlers | 2011 |
| Dursey Cow | Yes | 3 Kerry paddlers | 2011 |
| Dursey Bull | Yes Solo |
David Walsh Gavin Sheridan |
2002 2011 |
| Scariff Island | Yes | Paul Butcher, Aisling Conroy | 1984 |
| Lemon Rocks | Yes | David Walsh, Fred Cooney | 1995 |
| Little Skellig | Yes | David Walsh, Fred Cooney | 1995 |
| Great Skellig | Yes | Not known. | Early ? |
| Washer Woman Rock | Yes | Conor Murray | 2009 |
| Great Foze Rocks | Yes | Mick Murphy and Claire Knight | 1983 |
| Little Foze Rocks | Yes | Eileen Murphy aka Pirate Queen | 2006 |
| Muchlaghmore Rock | Yes | Tom O’Brien | 2003 |
| Eeragh Island, Inishmore | Yes | Dave Kavanagh | 2000 |
| Skerdmore | Yes | Stephen Hannon, Gary McMahon | 1994 |
| Skerdbeg | Yes | Dave Kavanagh | 1997 |
| Illaunamid | Yes | Aengus Parsons | 1983 |
| Carrickgaddy | Yes | Harry Whelan | 1988 |
| An Buachal | Yes | David Walsh, Sean Pierce, Josie Gibbons | 2003 |
| Bills Rocks | Yes | Stephen Hannon, Kevin O’Callaghan | 1994 |
| Black Rock | Yes | David Kavanagh, John Hannan, Aengus Parsons & Brian Coll(?) | 1999 |
| Eagle Island | Yes | Dave Kavanagh | 1997 |
| Stags of Broadhaven | |||
| Teach Dónal Ó’Cléirigh | Yes | Fred Cooney (didn’t summit) | 1996 |
| Teach Dónal Ó’Cléirigh | Sean Pierce (summitted) | 2003 | |
| An Teach Mór | Yes | David Walsh, Fred Cooney, Josie Gibbons (summitted) | 2003 |
| An Teach Beag | Yes | Colm Pierce, David Walsh (summitted) | 2003 |
| Carraig na Faola | Yes | Ewan LeNoach, Sue Honan, Marion Ryan | 2013 |
| An t-Oighean | Yes | Leon Conway, Sue Honan, Marion Ryan, Rob Scanlon, Frank MacLochlainn | 2013 |
| Stags of Owey | Yes, solo | Petr Sedlar | 2011 |
| Garvan Isles | Yes | David Walsh, Dave Carraher, Dave Kavanagh | 2003 |
| Inishtrahull | Yes | Joe Rotheram and Charlie Cassidy | 1983 |
| Torr Mor | Yes | Sean Pierce, Josie Gibbons | 2003 |
| Torr Beg | Yes | Michael Roulston, Denis Gallagher, Eadaoin Healy | 2003 |
| America to Ireland, St. Johns Newfoundland to Belderg Co. Mayo, 4,800km | Yes | Peter Bray | 23.06.2001 – 05.09.2001 |
| Ireland to England – Portavogie to Whitehaven (Cumbria) 127km | Yes | Conor Murray | 2012 |
| Tor Beg (most north), North Rocks (most east), Fastnet (most south) and Great Foze Rock (most west), combination achievement. | Yes | Conor Murray | 2011 |
| Stags of Broadhaven, all five one daycombination achievement. | Yes | Marion Ryan and Sue Honan | 2013 |