Dún Laoghaire-based couple swap Dublin for na Blascaoidí
THEY triumphed over 45,000 applicants from all over the world – but for a while, it looked like all that might be in vain this year for Dún Laoghaire-based couple Eoin Boyle and Annie Birney.
But while COVID-19 looked like it might have thwarted the pair’s plans to spend the summer looking after accommodation and a café on An Blascaod Mór, they travelled out in recent days and have started welcoming guests to the world-famous island – albeit for a shorter-than-expected run.
Eoin and Annie were chosen by couple Alice Hayes and Billy O’Connor for the role last spring, and should have been living off the coast of west Kerry from April. Of course, the pandemic struck, and their plans were grounded.
‘‘ They were among the applicants we arranged a call with, and they just seemed to suit the position,’’ Alice Hayes told The Kerryman in explaining the background to the story. ‘‘ They were chilled, friendly, enthusiastic about it, and organised.
‘‘ The number of applications we got was unbelievable. It had been increasing over the last two years, but I think the promotion Gordon and Lesley [Bond and Kehoe, last year’s caretakers] made a difference. I think people started to realise that this opportunity existed and that this accommodation was available. We’re still getting applications even now.’’
While their time on the island will be shorter than it should have been, Eoin and Annie are finally there now and will be on-site until October.
Eoin told The Kerryman that it was a privilege to come through the application process and an even bigger privilege to be living the island life.
‘‘We were given the position in around February, March, having never realised this is something you could do,’’ he said. ‘‘We both loved the island. Annie is originally from Waterford but often travelled on camper holidays to west Kerry and visited the island, and she based her Leaving Cert Art project on the Blaskets, while I studied Irish Folklore while I was in college.
‘‘It’s phenomenal here. On a couple of occasions, we’ve found ourselves getting distracted by the sights around us...It’s a huge change of pace. We live in Dún Laoghaire where, even during the height of the lock-down, there was some movement.’’
Both handed in notices to their employers to take this opportunity and, thankfully, their dream has finally been realised. A wind turbine powers one socket – off which they can charge their phones – while their accommodation’s thick walls and toasty fires are keeping the cold away for now, Eoin said. They also use gas for cooking purposes.
Alice and Billy’s boat tours to the island may be operating off half-capacity this year, and accommodation is limited to one group per each of the three available cottages. Further information can be found at www.greatblasketisland.net.