Make Cape Clear Island your home

THE manager of a co-operative for a small island off the south-west coast of County Cork is appealing to families among the Irish diaspora to follow his lead and make it their new home.

Kevin MacCana, who heads up Comharchumann Chléire Teo—the social enterprise that is the development agency for the island—moved to Cape Clear Island (Oileán Chléire) from Liverpool some 30 years after reading about it in the Sunday Press. He met my wife there and had four children, and is now encouraging families move to the island to live and work.

Oileán Chléire (above) is Ireland’s southernmost Gaeltacht Island and is home to a diverse population of around 100 people that grows in the summer months with the arrival of Irish language college students and visitors from all over Ireland and the world.

A beautiful 45-minute ferry ride from the town of Baltimore in West Cork. It has two daily return sailings all year, increasing to four per day during the summer season.

Oileán Chléíre has a good number of year-round amenities and services which include: a primary school with two teachers, a daily local bus service with two electric buses, a public library, public health nurse, a small grocery shop with attached cafe, two pubs, Irish summer college, a three day a week grocery delivery service via online ordering from the SuperValu supermarket in Skibbereen, a recycling and waste service, solid fuel delivery and postal service.

There are various employment opportunities available and there is a gTEIC (digital hub) with a stable broadband connection allowing for remote and hybrid working. The island generally has good 4G coverage. Other industries and business opportunities on the island incorporate hospitality tourism and horticulture, farming, fishing, a distillery and a variety of craft makers and artists.

As part of the Irish Government’s 10-year strategy aimed at creating thriving flourishing communities on Ireland’s offshore islands, Comharchumann Chléire Teo is currently working with a couple of house owners availing of the ’Croí Cónaithe’ housing grant to make two houses available for affordable long-term rental to families with children of primary school age from August 2025. Young families with a competency in Irish will be considered favourably.

Comharchumann Chléire Teo’s main objective is to preserve the viability of island living. Over the years it has run a number of campaigns to attract and support new families to the island to help offset the declining population and prevent the closure of the primary school.

Kevin was motivated to promote the potential island move in The Irish Voice at the suggestion of award-winning documentary maker and producer, Helena Ni Ghallachóir, who lived and worked in Glasgow for many years, but is now an islander herself.

“Helena was here last year making a piece of film on island life and ferries,” Kevin explained. “She is very engaging and understands well what island communities are like with her being an islander herself. She encouraged me to reach out to anyone I think can help spread this story.”

“I think the school here is an indication of the health of the community, which at the moment doesn't look great,” he continued. “We don’t have enough people in their 20s and 30s with children. We are an offshore island meaning that our children can’t go to the mainland for school. At one stage, two years ago, there was one child left in the school. That was an incredibly sad sight. A family who were homeschooling their

children decided to send them to school and because of that the school is still open. In my opinion if the school closes then we will cease to be a true community

“The government has made a grant available to owners of vacant properties to refurbish them and either live in them or make them available to rent. We are working with two such owners at the moment and these should be ready soon. They will be available long-term and at affordable rents. If you are interested in making the island your home, please get in touch.”

For more information on a potential move to the island, send an e-mail to: bainisteoir1ccteo@gmail.com