The mysterious story of an Englishman who came to spend his last years living as a hermit on a Donegal island is to be shown on RTE television tonight.
Neal McGregor lived alone on Inishbofin before dying suddenly at the age of 44.
Now the acclaimed film, The Stranger, is to be broadcast tonight on RTE One.
The film tells of the artist who lived in a stone shed, where he survived without running water, electricity or heating on the remote island, leaving behind volumes of secret diaries.
During his years on the island he survived by eating crabs he caught,
or rabbits he trapped.
The Gaelic-speaking islanders on the rapidly depopulating island, knew little of Neal during the eight years he lived there.
Some thought he was a British spy while others thought he was trying to take control of the island.
Through research, it was discovered what the Donegal islanders never knew.
Neal studied art at a prestigious college outside London. It was 1964. He was a great guitarist and college Social Secretary, introducing students to the music of Bert Jansch, The Moody Blues and others.
It was the Sixties. Drugs were plentiful. Sexual and political
revolutions were erupting across the West.
When he died, Neal only left behind only three animal carvings, some
dairies and volumes of beautifully illustrated bird notebooks in the
stone shed, where he lived.
The Stranger will be shown tonight on RTE One at 22,15pm.
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