Life on the Blasket Island: "Here, the sea dictates our rhythm. Every day is unpredictable."
Great Blasket Island, located five kilometers off Dunquin Pier on the Dingle Peninsula in Co Kerry, is home to a new caretaking couple for the summer of 2022. Camille Rosenfeld, a visual artist from Minneapolis, and James Hayes, originally from Tralee in Co Kerry, have taken up the role following a highly competitive selection process.
The caretaking tradition on Great Blasket Island maintains its uninhabited but historically inhabited status, preserving the island's heritage and hospitality cottages. Residents live on the island throughout the season, handling maintenance and guest services, demanding commitment and adaptability to island life.
Camille and James arrived on the island on April 1st, 2022, taking over from Alice Hayes and Billy O'Connor, who previously managed the island's tours and rental cottages. The couple ensures that the public bathrooms are clean and well-stocked before the day guests arrive on the boat from Dunquin. They also collect and organise rubbish to send back with the last boat, including bottles and cups from drinks they have sold.
The caretakers oversee a small number of holiday cottages available to visitors. Living accommodations are basic, reflecting the remote and rugged nature of the island. The job does not provide many modern conveniences, emphasising immersion in outdoor and simple living. Every day, the couple wakes up at around 8am and boils water from the island's spring before drinking it.
The island has three rental cottages, each with two bedrooms, and accommodates eight to 10 guests on average each night. The couple operates a cafe from 12.30pm-4pm, serving drinks and occasional Dingle scones. Visitors can also wild camp on the island, and the couple provides a propane stove for guests to cook their own meals.
The island has no electricity or running water. The couple, Rosenfeld and Hayes, use a motorised cart to take luggage down to the slipway. The Great Blasket Island Experience company, run by Alice Hayes and Billy O'Connor, gives tours of the island.
The role suits those enthusiastic about outdoor life and comfortable with isolation. The couple married in Boston on June 7th, 2021, and were living in Tralee before being selected as the caretakers. They honoured the memory of Máiréad Ní Chearnaigh Uí Shé, the oldest person to have lived on the island, who died a few months into their stay, by gathering guests, preparing tea, lighting a fire in Tigh Ó Cearnaigh, and writing her name, life dates, and an Irish blessing on a piece of slate.
The caretaker position on Great Blasket Island is demanding but rewarding, preserving a unique cultural heritage and supporting a small-scale tourism model on this remote Irish island. The island has a "leave no trace" policy, with no rubbish bins, and everything brought to the island must be taken back.
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