Legal attempt to take possession of deserted Lough Corrib island

No man is an island, but one Kerry man is trying to take ownership of a beautiful deserted island on Galway’s largest lake.

Prionnsias O’Sullivan of Brosna Road, Castleisland, County Kerry has lodged an application to take adverse possession of Cannaver Island on Lough Corrib in County Galway.

However, the attempt to take over the uninhabited isle won’t be plain sailing – a spokesperson for the Property Registration Authority has confirmed to the Connacht Tribune that the application has been “queried”.

This means that the Dublin-based authority has identified issues or an issue with the application.

The island has been described by locals as “fabulous”, and fishermen used to stop off there to have their lunch or take breaks from angling on the lake.

Cannaver measures 6.17 hectares (roughly 15 acres), and is situated just south of the larger Dooras Island, and north west of the North Connemara town of Oughterard.

The registered owner of the land is Ursula Mary Sealy West of Moytura House, Cross, Claremorris in Mayo. This woman died on June 28, 1974, however.

Locals familiar with the islands say that a gentleman by the name of Toby O’Sullivan from Dooras, Cornamona may have used the lands at Cannaver to graze sheep until he passed away in October, 2014.

It is understood the Mr O’Sullivan attempting to take adverse possession of the island may be a relative of the late Toby O’Sullivan.

Last month, in an advertisement in a freesheet newspaper in Cork, Ms Sealy West’s next of kin – if they exist – were put on notice that Mr Prionnsias O’Sullivan was making an application to take ownership of the island.

For the full story, see this week’s Connacht Tribune.