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- Great Blasket Island off the coast of Ireland is looking for two caretakers to manage its coffee shop and four guest cottages.
- Located a few miles off the coast of Dingle in County Kerry, the job involves meeting and greeting guests, and serving tea and coffee to day visitors.
- The chosen caretakers will live in free accommodation on the island between April 1 and October 1 this year.
- The island has no electricity or WiFi and visitors are advised to bring their own drinking water.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Great Blasket Island, located off the coast of Ireland, is looking for a couple (or two friends) to manage four guest cottages and its coffee shop for six months between April and October.
The vacancy was shared on the island’s Twitter account last week and advised applicants to read the FAQs before applying.
—Great Blasket Island (@gbisland) January 15, 2021
It also announced that the number of applicants would be capped due to the overwhelming amount of interest from last year’s post, which received more than 42,000 applications worldwide, according to The Irish Times.
The island has no electricity or WiFi, and the website advises visitors to bring their own drinking water as it is a “limited commodity.”
Dublin couple Annie Birney and Eoin Boyle were the lucky two chosen as the island’s caretakers in 2020. However, due to the pandemic, they weren’t able to move to the island until June when restrictions had eased.
Birney previously told Insider: "I'd say we thought about it for all of ten or fifteen seconds before we said, 'Yes, we'll do it!'"
Birney added that the island was "our universe" despite facing challenges such as having no WiFi, taking cold showers, and having to limit housework to the daytime due to a lack of electricity while living there.
Starting their day at 9 a.m., daily tasks included preparing cottages for guests, though the cafe remained closed due to the pandemic. At 2 p.m., they would meet and greet guests, take them to their accommodation, and collect any essential items they needed from the pier, including fresh laundry, coal, and food.
Once the day got quieter, Birney and Boyle took time to unwind by taking a hike, going for a swim, or relaxing with a cup of tea while enjoying the scenery.
Located three miles off the coast of Dingle in County Kerry, Great Blasket Island is the biggest among a group of islands called The Blaskets. The island is known for its wildlife, nature, and hilly terrain, and has links to Irish folklore and literature.
It is also home to grey seals who migrate there during late summer.
Paul Scannell Photo/Getty Images
The job listing advises that non-EU entrants must have a valid working visa to apply, and that travel expenses to the island are not included.
There is a wage included on top of the free room and board, which will be discussed upon application.
Billy O'Connor, who owns the cottages and coffee shop with his partner Alice Hayes, told the Irish Independent that they "decided to add some job criteria, as last year when we started to receive applications it took us a month just to get through them." However, he added they are expecting fewer applications this year due to the pandemic.
Applications will close on Friday, January 22. If six months on a remote Irish island sounds idyllic (and travel restrictions allow) you can find out more information and apply here.
O'Connor and Hayes did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
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