Innisfree Island

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Innisfree Island lies off-shore from Maghery and is accessed from Burtonport. It is a flat island measuring about three quarters of a mile in diameter. It came to fame in the seventies and eighties when a group of hippies known as “Screamers” went to live there and spent close on twenty years on the island before heading off for South America. Unlike Owey and Gola Innisfree never became completely deserted. It seemed to attract a certain kind of alternative lifestyle and was always likely to be home to a German or English family. Peader O’Donnell, who wrote “Islanders” was once the schoolmaster on Innisfree and preserved the island way of life for posterity in his famous novel. Today there is mains water and electricity on Innisfree making like somewhat easier. In recent years the island has hosted a very successful Arts Festival. Although there is no regular ferry service to Innisfree it is often quite possible to get passage on one of the many small craft that ply between Burtonport and Innisfree during the summer months. Prepare to be met by island cattle walking on the beach.

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