An uninhabited island which hasn’t seen any residents since 1953 is on the hunt for two individuals to run a coffee shop – but there’s a catch.
Great Blasket Island is looking for a duo to move in and manage the shop this summer. Despite having no permanent residents, the pair will be kept busy serving a multitude of customers.
The island, located off the coast of Dunquin, near Dingle, Ireland, attracts an impressive 40,000 tourists annually. Great Blasket Island, the largest of the Blasket Islands, is situated off the Dingle Peninsula.
The island is seeking a couple to take control, managing the coffee shop and holiday cottages for a solid six months. From 1 April to 1 October, they’ll earn a wage for being in charge.
However, despite the unique opportunity to live on a secluded Irish island, the job involves hard and demanding work. Daily tasks include preparing the coffee shop, cleaning each holiday house, and checking in guests, all of which must be completed to a high standard.
Depending on the weather, the lucky applicants might not get a day off for weeks on end.
The chosen pair won’t need to worry about rent as it’s covered for the duration of their stay on the island. As for living conditions, they’ll share the main bedroom above the coffee shop.
They’ll also use the shop’s kitchen and toilets as their own, with a stove available for cosy evenings. Laundry will be collected and transported to the mainland for washing.
Food supplies will be delivered daily to the island. However, during the busy summer months of June, July and August, successful applicants may have to share the upstairs space with volunteer helpers who will also be staying in the second bedroom upstairs.
The island, designated as a ‘Special Area of Conservation’, spans four miles and offers over 1,100 acres to explore. It has been uninhabited since 1953 and is recognised as one of the most remote Irish-speaking areas of Corca Dhuibhne.
According to The Great Blasket Island Experience, visitors can spot a variety of wildlife throughout the year. Sightings may include common, bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins, humpback and minke whales and even basking sharks.
But it’s not just marine life that calls the island home. Gannets, puffins and grey seals are also regulars, with the island boasting one of the largest seal colonies on the West Atlantic Coast.
Other bird species known to visit the island include Arctic terns, guillemots, shags, cormorants, razorbills and storm petrels. To apply, visit the website here.
