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Adventure drama

The Secret of Roan Inish (1994): Cast, Box Office & Plot

The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) movie poster

The Secret of Roan Inish is a 1994 adventure drama directed by John Sayles, starring Jeni Courtney as Fiona, Susan Lynch and Declan Hannigan. It runs 1 hour 43 minutes and earned $6.2 million worldwide.

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The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 43m (103 min)
Director
John Sayles
Genres
Adventure , Family , Drama , Fantasy
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Secret of Roan Inish About?

The premise of The Secret of Roan Inish without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Between land and sea lies a realm where myths are real. Ten‑year‑old Fiona stays with her grandparents in a tiny Donegal fishing village and learns that an ancestor married a Selkie—a seal that becomes human. After her baby brother vanished at sea, she spots a naked boy on the deserted Isle of Roan Inish and is driven to uncover the secret.

The Secret of Roan Inish Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • celtic
  • irish language
  • magical realism
  • celtic mythology
  • based on book
  • boy frontal nudity
  • cottage
  • family relationships
  • irish mythology
  • male nudity
  • gaelic languane spoken
  • selkie
+38 more
  • fishing village
  • coastal town
  • fishing
  • irish culture
  • countryside
  • beach
  • pagan
  • paganism
  • rowboat
  • field
  • meadow
  • lantern
  • seagull
  • cauldron
  • mute
  • donegal ireland
  • year 1946
  • mother's burial
  • pub
  • father daughter relationship
  • grandfather granddaughter relationship
  • farm
  • stone cottage
  • lighthouse
  • cousin cousin relationship
  • curragh
  • sea rescue
  • peat fire
  • pipe rack
  • barefoot
  • skellig islands
  • husband wife relationship
  • cradle
  • baby
  • sealskin
  • beach bonfire
  • peat cutting
  • storm
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Cast & crew

The Secret of Roan Inish Cast & Characters

Jeni Courtney leads the cast as Fiona, with Susan Lynch as Selkie and Declan Hannigan as Oldest brother. Directed by John Sayles; 17 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Secret of Roan Inish

· 13 more
From the director

More from John Sayles

More films directed by John Sayles, best-rated first: Matewan, Lone Star, Eight Men Out and Sunshine State.

Full filmography
Plot

The Secret of Roan Inish Plot Summary

What happens in The Secret of Roan Inish from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Set in 1946, the story unfolds through the eyes of Fiona, a young girl whose life has been shaped by grief and fragile health. After the death of her mother and the illness of her father, she moves to live with her grandparents in a tight-knit Irish fishing village where everyone knows one another, and where the sea, the land, and the people weave a shared rhythm of life.

Full summary

The whole story of The Secret of Roan Inish, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Secret of Roan Inish Box Office

The Secret of Roan Inish grossed $6.2 million worldwide.

1994 box office

Worldwide gross

$6.2M

US & Canada
$6.2M
Videos

The Secret of Roan Inish Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Secret of Roan Inish.

The Secret of Roan Inish (1994) Trailer (VHS Capture)
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Secret of Roan Inish?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

In which year does the story of *The Secret of Roan Inish* take place?

Cars

Cars in The Secret of Roan Inish

3 cars on screen, including the Bedford K-Type and the 1935 Morris Eight Series I.

  • Bedford K-Type in The Secret of Roan Inish Bedford K-Type Background role
  • 1935 Morris Eight Series I in The Secret of Roan Inish 1935 Morris Eight Series I Background role
  • 1952 New Hudson Autocycle 2F in The Secret of Roan Inish 1952 New Hudson Autocycle 2F Background role
Details

The Secret of Roan Inish Also Known As

12 alternative titles, including “Il Segreto Dell'isola Di Roan” and “天涯海角”.

Also known as
  • Il Segreto Dell'isola Di Roan
  • 天涯海角
  • 人鱼传说
  • Das Geheimnis des kleinen Seehundes
  • Das Geheimnis des Seehundbabys
  • El secreto de la isla de las focas
  • סוד האי הנעזב
  • Le secret de Roan Inish
  • 론 이니쉬의 비밀
  • O Mistério Da Ilha
  • Тайна острова Роан-Иниш
  • Irská sága

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FAQ

The Secret of Roan Inish FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of The Secret of Roan Inish, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Secret of Roan Inish?

The Secret of Roan Inish runs 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes).

When was The Secret of Roan Inish released?

The Secret of Roan Inish was released on May 14, 1994.

Who directed The Secret of Roan Inish?

The Secret of Roan Inish was directed by John Sayles.

More films by John Sayles

Who is in the cast of The Secret of Roan Inish?

The Secret of Roan Inish stars Jeni Courtney as Fiona, Susan Lynch as Selkie and Declan Hannigan as Oldest brother, among 17 credited actors.

How much did The Secret of Roan Inish make at the box office?

The Secret of Roan Inish grossed $6.2 million worldwide.

Does The Secret of Roan Inish have a post-credit scene?

No. The Secret of Roan Inish has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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