An interesting house in…Innishbiggle

Yes, I have never heard of it either.

I found this one over a year ago. Bored with work, bored with living in the Medway Towns (there’s a saying that if you’re bored of Medway, then you’re probably right), I looked at how we could, as a family, escape the rat race. How we could sell the house, and have a bit of peace and quiet back in the old country (a little joke there for those of you who know me in real life and like to mock my Irish passport, held courtesy of a Northern Irish dad). I found this.

Sell the house, use the equity thanks to the frankly ridiculous UK property market. Have no mortgage. But how will we pay for food, she asked me…

It’s fine, I told my wife. We’ll get a job in the Supervalu (Ireland’s Supermarket of the Year every single year), keep money coming in for food and get a staff discount.

Look, I said, it’s coming up on the searches as being Achill. We had a great holiday in Achill in 2005. It’s the best place in Ireland. And loooook, I said, it has its own private beach, and its only 70k, in Euros.

So, it needs a bit of work.

https://www.daft.ie/mayo/houses-for-sale/achill/inishbiggle-island-achill-mayo-1198688/

Nothing that isn’t possible. New bathroom, new kitchen, bit of rendering, lick of paint.

Which would be fine.

Apart from the one minor glitch.

It’s not on Achill, an island that is linked to the Mayo mainland by road. It’s on an island off of Achill. And it doesn’t have a road link.

You have to go by boat. Boat.

And there isn’t a regular service.

But just look at it.

So, what’s to like?

That depends on how much you like solitude. The population of Innishbiggle currently stands at 18. Yes, 18. As recently as the seventies, it was five times that. The school and the post office have, unsurprisingly, closed down.

If you do like solitude, it’s perfect. The island is accessed across one of Europe’s most treacherous channels, in terms of weather and currents. There was talk in the Celtic Tiger boom (EU glory days) of a cable car. Funnily enough, it never happened as the costs proved prohibitive.

The house comes with three bedrooms, and needs a lot of work. Not one for the easily beaten, it could be perfect for someone. It comes on an acre of land too, and direct access to the water should you choose to go for a long walk with heavy pockets.

Oh, and if you moved here, you’d stay in the EU, come what may, which is best said in Adrian Dunbar’s voice.

What’s not to like?

Again, the absolute middle of nowhere, but a good middle of nowhere. The west coast of Ireland is among the most stunning you’ll find on the two isles that make the British Isles. Don’t believe me, go and see it. Miles upon miles or roaring atlantic ocean and sand as far as the eye can see. A dog walker’s paradise.

I fancy a pint.

Good luck with that mate. There isn’t a pub. You’ll need to stock up and if you fall over, nobody will know.

Who do I contact if I am looking to buy an interesting house in the absolute middle of absolutely nowhere?

Being sold by Rona Moran, who you can contact through the daft.ie website.

https://www.daft.ie/mayo/houses-for-sale/achill/inishbiggle-island-achill-mayo-1198688/

As usual, she’s no idea I am posting this, and all images are probably copyright her. If I am asked to take them down, I will. But at 70k (in euros), this is potentially fantastic.