January 6th 2025.
Great Blasket Island, situated off the coast of Dunquin, Ireland, has been without inhabitants for over 70 years now. Despite its uninhabited status, it doesn't stop the island from attracting almost 40,000 tourists each year. The strain of this high tourist traffic has led the island, which is mainly owned by the Irish government, to seek help in the form of two people to run a coffee shop and holiday cottages for six months. So if you're looking for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stay on a remote island, this might just be it. However, it won't be a walk in the park as you'll have to work hard for it.
Don't worry, you'll be paid for your time and effort, but you'll also have to handle the daily preparation of running the coffee shop, cleaning the holiday homes, and welcoming guests. The company is specifically looking for a couple to take on this role. The rent will be free, but be prepared for the possibility of not having a day off for weeks at a time, as it is all dependent on the weather. If the sun is shining all summer, you can expect to be fully booked and busy.
The job listing for this unique opportunity reads, "We could have a week of bad weather, therefore no sailings to the Island, or else four weeks of sunshine." This shows how unpredictable and intense the role can be. During the busy months of June, July, and August, the island also relies on "helpexers" who volunteer in exchange for bed and board. As a couple, you'll be sharing the main bedrooms above the coffee shop.
Inside the coffee shop, there's a cozy atmosphere, and you can keep warm in the evenings with a stove. Don't worry about grocery shopping as food will be delivered daily. However, alcohol and toiletries won't be included. So why is there no permanent population on Great Blasket Island? Historically, the island was inhabited by Irish-speaking fishing communities, but in 1954, it became nearly impossible to live there, leading to its abandonment.
As with the mainland, the Great Famine had a significant impact on the population numbers on Great Blasket Island. This famine, which occurred between 1845 and 1852, caused approximately 1 million Irish people to die, and another 1 million to flee, resulting in a population decline of 20 to 25%. Unfortunately, Ireland has never fully recovered from this devastation, and the population has struggled to return to pre-famine levels.
In 1841, four years before the Great Famine, 153 people lived on the island. By 1851, this number had decreased to just 97. However, since the islanders relied more on fishing than potatoes, they were not as severely impacted as other areas. During the Second World War, food shortages also affected the island, and even after the war, harsh weather conditions made life difficult. In April 1947, the island was cut off from mainland Ireland for weeks due to bad weather, forcing the islanders to send an urgent telegram to the Taoiseach for emergency supplies.
Eventually, in 1954, the Irish government declared that it could no longer guarantee the safety of those remaining on the island, which by then had a depleted population. Today, the majority of Great Blasket Island is owned by the Irish government, and it remains a popular destination for tourists, with over 1,100 acres to explore. If this sounds like an adventure you'd like to embark on as a couple, visit The Great Blasket Island Experience's website for more information. Fluency in English is a must, and it's preferable if you also speak Irish.
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