Visitors to Devenish Island over the weekend may have raised an eyebrow at a sign that was attached to the fence close to the jetty which stated that someone intended to become owner of the land via "adverse possession".

In Northern Ireland, adverse possession is a legal doctrine that allows someone to claim ownership of land they do not legally own if they meet certain criteria.

Dated July 13, 2024, the sign goes on to say: "If however you are the existing owner and wish to stop this process, please contact me with evidence of ownership."

Then contact details of the person who was planning to claim ownership.

The sign on Devenish Island.The sign on Devenish Island. (Image: Supplied)

The Impartial Reporter contacted the person who made the sign, Neil, and he was perplexed at how it had ended up on Devenish Island.

He explained that the sign had been placed on another small island on Lough Erne near Tully Castle.

"There's a very small island in the middle of Tully Bay. It's the smaller of two islands. It's basically an outcrop of land. We have been going down there for many years.

"We've been going on to the island and what we wanted to do was see if it was owned by anyone because if it's not owned by anyone we would put a base on to it somewhere where we could have barbecues and stuff like that.

"That is really the only purpose of what we would be doing it for."

Neil confirmed that he was making no claims for Devenish Island.

"You can keep it," he joked.

Neil said he would make contact with the owners of Devenish Island and that he would appreciate it if someone could remove the sign from the island.

And what of the other island he had his eye on?

"By the sounds of it if someone has taken the sign and put it on there, it sounds like someone has been on the island, which would indicate that perhaps there is an owner of the island."

In 2022, ownership of Devenish Island was transferred from the Trustees of the Kilravock Christian Trust (SCIO) to Scripture Union Northern Ireland.