Island life sees castaway pair escape Covid
A couple have managed to escape the entire coronavi - rus pandemic by becoming the only inhabitants of a tiny island with no electricity, gas or running water.
Adventurous Luke and Sarah Flanagan moved to farflung Owey Island off the west coast of County Donegal in Ireland on 14 March, just two days before the UK went into lockdown.
The pair had no idea about the impending pandemic and say the purpose of their stay on the 300-acre rocky chunk of land was simply to take 12 months out to enjoy a slower pace of life.
While taking scenic walks, going fishing and tending to homegrown crops, the couple have managed to remain isolated and keep themselves clear of Covid-19.
Mr Flanagan ,34, a join er by trade, said: “It’s been really weird and strange hearing about everything that’s happening while being isolated on this little island.
“As you can imagine, we haven’ t had to worry about social distancing.”
He added: “The experience as a whole has been incredible. The pace of life is so slow but it’s lovely, we spend our days out walking with the dogs, growing our own food and learning new skills.
“It’s not for everyone but we have loved it.”
Owey Island is a small patch of land off the coast of Donegal containing a handful of properties. It has no schools or shops and only two narrow roads crossing it.
The Flanagans are living in a small cottage using coal fires to keep warm, a tank to collect rainwater, gas bottles to cook and solar panels to charge their electrical items.
They use the collected water as well as water from a well to wash themselves and clean their clothes, while growing their own food for sustenance, raising hens for eggs and even braving the seas for fish, which were salted so they could be stored and remain edible for months on end.
The couple’ s only way off the island is via dinghy. It is around three-quarter sofa mile to another island, which is connected to the mainland by a bridge.
While there are some houses on Owey they are only inhabited in the summer months and, according to local histor y books, the last time anyone spent the winter there was 1974.
The couple are originally from Leeds but were living in the Scottish Highlands when the chance to move to Ireland presented itself.
They noticed an advert online offering the opportunity to become the tenant sofa small cottage there and decided the chance was too good to pass up so decided to take a year off from work.
According to Mr Flanagan, the home owner wanted to prove it is possible to spend an entire winter season on Owey in an effort to encourage others to do the same in the future.
Sarah ,36, a social worker, said :“My overall thoughts about our time on the island are how incredibly lucky we are to be here.
“It’s been so cool to learn how much material stuff you actually don’t need, and as I sup - pose people would have done in years gone by, making use of what you have.”