Christmas 2013
This is where I live
It is a small island, about 3 miles long, off the coast of County Donegal in the North West of Ireland.
Luckily there is a bridge, so although we are remote, we’re not cut off from the world.
There are about 100 houses on the island and 60 permanent residents. The population swells hugely in the summer with visitors
It is rugged and wild and very windy in the winter. We have 3 stoves as well as oil central heating as a back up and triple glazing!
There are fabulous beaches all around the island and hardly a soul to be seen except for in mid summer. There are lovely green lanes and tracks, perfect for walking the dogs
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My studio is next to the house in an old stone barn. When we moved here in 2007 it still had a horse in it! Its been reroofed and has a good sized open space dowstairs wirh a stove, where I paint, and a half floor above with a door out to a balcony and steps down. Its a great place to paint for most of the year, but gets very damp in the winter, so I bring all my work indoors then.
Every year we cut turf ( peat) from the bog, turn it and dry it and bring it home with a tractor and trailer, and that’s what we burn on the 4 stoves! Last yeR we put a small oil burner ib as back up, but we tend to only use that on a timer for the coldest early mornings
We have fantastic sunsets and the sky seems bigger here than most places somehow
Me with ‘Ruined gables, night painting’
I hope to update this page from time to time with more photos of our fabulous landscape, and occassionally with a painting or two that’s definitely ‘of the place’
And some family shots to give you an idea of who we are:
donegallizdoyle 
Simply beautiful and inspiring, Liz! 🙂
thanks very much Jacqueline 🙂
Hi Liz! What a beautiful place to live! Your studio is so inspiring. It was such fun to peek inside. Can’t wait to read through your archives. You have a brand new follower! ♡
thanks Dawn 🙂
How beautiful! We’ll have to go island hopping some time!
Fantastic! I will be moving fairly close to you this summer, we are moving to Point near the airport. My husband’s family all have lived in Donegal for generations and my mum in law is happy that i am finally bringing him home with the children. 😉
oh great, looking forward to meeting you 🙂
This has been my first chance to go through your site; I am loving every minute of it. I love where you live, your work space. Thank you so much for sharing with me. I wish I lived there! Thank you again, Ann
Thanks Elizabeth Ann, funny that we both have the same name!
I wish I’d realized you like on Cruitch — we played golf there last June (2015) and it was one of my favorite travel experiences ever. What a gorgeous place!
Wow – what a small world – if you’re ever over this way again please get in touch – liz-doyle@live.com
You could come for a cuppa and see my studio 🙂
Would love to! We really fell in love with Donegal — rented a cottage near Dungloe and visited my great grandfather’s 1 room schoolhouse in Rathmullan.
Live…not “like”..sorry
🙂
Is the painting shown here (above) for sale? It’s amazing.
Thanks very much! That one sold a couple of years ago – but lots more available!
Are they on your site?
Fantastic, we are glad to go Cruit-Island in June. Happy to see it back
Looking forward to seeing you again 🙂
We spent a week on Cruit Island several years ago. In four visits to Ireland, I don’t think I’ve seen a prettier spot! Glad to find your blog!
Lovely post Liz, it is lovely to contextualise you in your lovely coastal studio.
Sending all best wishes, Cora
Thanks Cora