An island off the west coast of Co. Donegal that has been used for sheep grazing, has just come on the market.
Campbells Auctioneers is seeking €89,950.00 for the uninhabited 25ac Roan Inish (island of seals) in the Atlantic Ocean, 5km from Portnoo, Co. Donegal.
The outcrop can only be accessed by private boat. It consists mainly of agricultural lands. There are the remains of old ruins to the western side.
Island
The island was the location for The Secret of Roan Inish, a 1994 independent fantasy/adventure film, written and directed by John Sayles. It tells the story of a young Irish girl with an unusual family history, including a long missing baby brother.
When she goes to live with her grandparents on the west coast of Ireland, she hears stories about her ancestors, tales that involve mythical creatures called selkies that can shift from seal to human form.
After she ends up on the island, her family’s ancestral home, she believes she may have found her brother living by the sea.
As she meets other villagers, Fiona hears from a distant cousin, Tadhg, about an ancestor who married a beautiful selkie (seal-woman).
The story goes that although theirs was a marriage full of happiness, success and many children, there was always the mysterious seal-bond to the ocean.
Tadhg tells her that the selkie’s blood remains in their family tree, and once in a generation, there is a “dark one” in the family, like himself, and Fiona’s baby brother Jamie.
“Ever wanted to own your own island? Well now you can,” the Dungloe estate agent stated. He said that it is rare that such an opportunity presents itself.
“This property is for agricultural purposes only and is within a natural heritage area and special protection area,” said Kenneth Campbell.
“We have had a number of equiries about it from individuals who like the idea of owning an island to farmers and state bodies,” he added.
Further information is available from Campbells Auctioneers.