Horse Island, County Cork Explained

Horse Island
Map:island of Ireland
Native Name:Oileán na gCapall[1]
Native Name Link:Irish language
Location:Roaring Water bay
Area Km2:0.635
Country:Ireland
Country Admin Divisions Title:Province
Country Admin Divisions:Munster
Country Admin Divisions Title 1:County
Country Admin Divisions 1:Cork
Country Admin Divisions Title 2:Barony
Country Admin Divisions 2:Carbery West
Population:1
Population As Of:2022
Population Footnotes:[2]

Horse Island (Gaeilge: Oileán na gCapall) is a small inhabited island in Roaringwater Bay, County Cork, Ireland, off the coast of Schull, that forms part of Carbery's Hundred Isles. No ferry service operates to and from the island; however, there is a pier, a heliport and a road on the island.

The island is privately owned and in 2018 was offered for sale for the price of €6,750,000.[3] The property ultimately sold for a price of €5,500,000 to a European Ultra high-net-worth individual in July 2020. Due to the pandemic, the buyer was not allowed to tour the island but viewed a video tour about its amenities.[4] [5]

History

In the 19th century, a copper mine was operated[6] on the 157 acre island by West Cork Mining Company, owned most recently by West Cork Mining Company,[7] employing approximately 100 miners at one time. The mine started operating in 1820 and closed in 1874.[8] [9] At its peak in 1841, the island's population was 137. The last permanent resident, Paddy McCarthy, left Horse Island in 1965. In his time, there were only five families on the island.[10] [11] Willie Harcourt-Coozes father bought Horse Island, where he started farming and living a self-sufficient life.[12] [13]

For some years, the island was owned by Gert Kölbel, a wealthy German (inventor of the Bullworker),[14] who renovated a few of the buildings in the 1980s. It was sold to financier Adrian Fitzgibbon and wife Deborah in 2007. In less than a year, they turned a barn into the main house.[15] By the time they listed it for sale in 2018, "The island has seven houses, including a six-bedroom main home, plus a pier, helipad, gym, tennis court ... its own electricity, water and sewage systems" according to The Guardian.[16] Another source added that the island also included "six guesthouses and guest cottages", three diesel generators, wind turbines" and pipes to an underwater aquifer for drinking water.[17]

In 2014, an attempt had been made by the Fitzgibbon family to set up an Irish whiskey distillery and visitor centre on the island, but planning permission was refused by An Bord Pleanála.[18] [19] The couple had also attempted to raise Wagyu cattle but that plan did not work successfully.[20] The island still had a "main cattle shed, an implement shed [and a] workshop" as of 2019.[21]

As of June 2018, the island had a permanent caretaker.[22]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.logainm.ie/en/13054 Logainm - Oileán na gCapall
  2. Population of Inhabited Islands Off the Coast. Central Statistics Office. 2023 . 29 June 2023.
  3. http://www.property.ie/property-for-sale/Schull-Cork-Schull-Co-Cork/1766502/ property.ie - Horse Island, Roaring Water Bay, Schull, Co. Cork
  4. Web site: Barker . Tommy . West Cork island bought for €5.5 million as a pandemic times sanctuary . irishexaminer.com . 13 July 2020.
  5. https://www.irishcentral.com/travel/moving-to-ireland/horse-island-west-cork Seven-house West Cork island on market for $7.5m offers utter tranquility
  6. https://roaringwaterjournal.com/tag/horse-island-mine/ Photograph with names of Miners, Horse Island Mine
  7. https://books.google.com/books?id=vIaV7x5UxbYC&dq=horse+island+west+cork+mining+company+ireland+roaringwater&pg=PA193 The Industrial Resources of Ireland
  8. https://www.gg-magazine.com/en/2018/11/eine-insel-fuer-sich-allein-oder-50-freunde/ An island for you alone or with 50 friends
  9. https://ukga.org/ireland/Cork/towns/HorseIsland(Skull).html UK Genealogy Archives
  10. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/property/you-can-own-a-157-acre-island-in-west-cork-for-a-cool-675-million-851514.html You can own a 157-acre island in West Cork for a cool €6.75 million
  11. News: Islands of Ireland: Mine of information on Horse Island . Irish Examiner . Dan . MacCarthy . 19 March 2018 . 13 July 2021 .
  12. Web site: Willie Harcourt-Cooze interview: Spilling the beans . . 1 March 2009 . 30 July 2009.
  13. Web site: Willie Harcourt-Cooze . map magazine . 5 February 2023 . en . 5 April 2013.
  14. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/property/west-cork-island-bought-for-55-million-as-a-pandemic-times-sanctuary-1010608.html West Cork island bought for €5.5 million as a pandemic times sanctuary
  15. https://www.gg-magazine.com/en/2018/11/eine-insel-fuer-sich-allein-oder-50-freunde/ An island for you alone or with 50 friends
  16. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/14/private-island-off-the-south-coast-ireland-sold-for-55m-via-video Private island off Ireland's south coast sold for €5.5m via video
  17. https://www.gg-magazine.com/en/2018/11/eine-insel-fuer-sich-allein-oder-50-freunde/ An island for you alone or with 50 friends
  18. http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/03/horse-island-distillery-refused-planning-permission/ An Irish whiskey distillery planned for Horse Island in County Cork, has been refused planning permission.
  19. https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/love-islands-take-a-look-at-this-6-75m-west-cork-retreat-with-room-for-a-crowd-1.3540567 Love islands? Take a look at this €6.75m west Cork retreat with room for a crowd
  20. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/property/you-can-own-a-157-acre-island-in-west-cork-for-a-cool-675-million-851514.html You can own a 157-acre island in West Cork for a cool €6.75 million
  21. https://www.irishcentral.com/travel/moving-to-ireland/horse-island-west-cork Seven-house West Cork island on market for $7.5m offers utter tranquility
  22. https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/property/you-can-own-a-157-acre-island-in-west-cork-for-a-cool-675-million-851514.html You can own a 157-acre island in West Cork for a cool €6.75 million

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