Road signs in West Town
..................................................................................................
Tory Island (Toraigh) is an island in Ireland, located nine miles off the County Donegal coast of Northwest Ireland.The main spoken language on the island is Gaelic (Irish). The island is approximately 5 km long and 1 km wide, it has a population of about 200 people. In the 1970's the Irish government planned the evacuation of the Island, which can only be reached by boat. Protest of the local people changed the mind of the government. In the 1990's the Donegal government invested in infrastructure, build a new pier, school and promoted tourism on the Island. Approximately 15000 people visit the island every year.
A king is chosen by consensus of the islanders to represent the community, a unique tradition that no longer exists anywhere else in Ireland. He has no formal powers, and some of his duties include being a spokesperson for the island and welcoming people to the island.
Since the 1950s, it has been home to a small community of artists, and has its own art gallery. The English artist Derek Hill is associated with the Tory artist community.
September, 2009
Credit: © Guido Van Damme 2009