Love islands? Take a look at this €6.75m west Cork retreat with room for a crowd

A romantic west Cork island resort dotted with luxury homes worthy of a reality TV show has been placed on the international market asking €6.75 million.

Horse Island is one of several islands that lie in sheltered Roaringwater Bay, just a few few minutes’ commute by boat from the mainland at Dreenatra Pier. The 157 acre island has seven individual houses all of which have stunning views over the bay and out to the Atlantic and the Fastnet Rock light house.

The island has three sandy beaches and numerous rocky inlets. Schull Harbour is a 15 minute boat ride away in good weather while Heir and Sherkin islands are within easy reach.

The private island estate is owned by Adrian Fitzgibbons, a financier who had plans to open a whiskey distillery there some years ago. However, the scheme ran in the ground in 2014 when An Bord Pleanala ruled that distillery and visitor centre could not go ahead because there was no firm commitment from the ESB to supply power to the island.

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According to the selling agents’ particulars, Horse island has its own electricity grid powered by one of three diesel generators at any given time which provide electricity to the whole island including all the houses and providing a back up generator for maintenance intervals. There are also a number of wind turbines charging batteries which serve as an emergency back up for electric light. Water on the island is supplied by an aquifier 400 ft below the ocean floor.

The estate consists of the main residence - a cutstone, six-bedroom house with a total floor area of c. 4,500 sq ft with two distinct wings leading off a central living space.

The large living room offers double height ceilings with gallery style landing overhead. Picture windows on all sides take in the magnificent views towards Cape Clear Island. The owner’s wing incorporates a large kitchen cum dining room, The first floor comprises a private master suite with en suite bathroom and dressing room as well as access to the roof terrace. The guest wing incorporates five bedrooms over two floors.

Behind the house an enclosed courtyard  is designed for al fresco meals, with sheltered seating, a charcoal fired BBQ and a wood fired pizza oven. The outbuildings consist of store areas and a large wine cellar.

In addition to the main house there is a “village” of cottages set close to the pier. These consist of two three-bedroom guest houses; a further two two-bedroom guest houses and two one-bedroom cottages, all of which have been lavish restored and maintained.

There are extensive walkways through and around the island providing access to all areas including several many sandy beaches and pastures. A tennis court is part of the leisure facilities, which inlcude a gym and a games house. The property includes a heliccopter pad and while a 150 foot long pier caters for those arriving by boat. The harbour has space to moor several boats and there is a separate boat house complete with large storage space.

A disused copper mine on the property harks back to a time when the island had a thriving mining coummunity with the population peaking in 1841 at 137 souls, according to historical records.

Horse Island is for sale through joint agents Colliers and Engel & Volkers