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Great Blasket Island

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1068: 274: 619: 673:, began renovation of the Congested Districts Board properties on the island as rental accommodation during the summer season. The company recruits two caretakers annually to manage the accommodation and café facilities where they live without electricity, hot water and other modern conveniences, similar to conditions the islanders endured. This old world living experience has attracted significant media attention about the role with tens of thousands of applications for the position in recent years. 1080: 258: 662: 516: 74: 589:. In the 1840s it was estimated that a population of about 150 people were living on the island. It was the most westerly settlement in Ireland, with islanders mostly living in primitive cottages perched on the relatively sheltered north-east shore. They subsisted mainly on fish, supplementing their diet with potato, oats, hunting rabbits and the eggs of birds who nested on the island; due to lack of wood they had to use 33: 176: 281: 638:
result of poor weather, no doctor or priest could reach the island. Continued inclement weather prevented his body being taken to the consecrated graveyard across the Blasket Sound in Dunquin for a number of days. It was this tragic event that led the Islanders to realise there was no continued prospect of a viable community remaining on the island.
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The island was inhabited until 1954 when the Irish government decided that it could no longer guarantee the safety of the remaining but rapidly declining population. In truth, the Islanders had been petitioning for relocation following the death of Seánín Ó Cearnaigh. Seán had become ill and as a
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The hostel and café on the island were at the centre of a dispute between the Irish State, which wishes to make the island a national park, and an individual, who claims to own the greater part of the island. The differences between the State and Blascaoid Mor Teoranta (BMT) were settled by an
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bought most of the property on the island, including the deserted village, and the state is now the majority landowner. Guided tours of the island were launched in 2010 and plans are underway for the preservation and conservation of the old village. The home of
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The island lies approximately two kilometres from the mainland at Dunmore Head, and extends six kilometres to the southwest, rising to 346 m (1,135 ft) at its highest point (An Cró Mór). The nearest mainland town is
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agreement made in August 2007; subject to the granting of planning permission, the deal meant that more than 95% of the island land, including the old village, would be sold to the State and become a de facto national park.
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Considering the tiny population, the island has produced a remarkable number of gifted writers who brought vividly to life their harsh existence and who kept alive old Irish folk tales of the land. Best known are
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The Great Blasket has been inhabited on and off for centuries. The earliest known reference to people living on the island was at the start of the 1700s. A Ferriter castle once stood at
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The weather was a present and constant hazard. In April 1947, the island was cut off from the mainland for weeks due to bad weather. The Islanders sent a telegram to the
197: 1124:, 1929). These are considered to be invaluable records of their harsh existence on the island and a treasure trove of old Irish folk tales of the land. 1262: 507:. It was home to a small fishing community of Irish speakers until the island was abandoned in 1954 when living there became unsustainable. 1149: 1529: 273: 319: 184: 1410: 138: 1041: 1519: 110: 605: 91: 46: 117: 1354: 1329: 1302: 541: 611:
Island life was very tough and the draw of emigration was strong, ultimately becoming the death knell for the Island.
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built five properties to improve the housing stock on the island. A two storey guesthouse was built later.
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shortages of sugar, soap, tea, paraffin, tobacco and flour/bread intensified this draw further.
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has been incorrectly cited as being the most westerly point of the Irish mainland, but
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was also restored by the OPW in 2018 and is now free to visit by the public.
1263:"Tomás Ó Criomthain's house on Blasket Islands opens following restoration" 500: 445: 634:, urgently requesting supplies which duly arrived two days later by boat. 1484: 1097: 651: 661: 369: 257: 681:
The table below reports data on Great Blasket's population taken from
515: 627: 519: 573:. At longitude 10° 39.7', Tearaght Island is the westernmost of the 73: 1433: 1237: 574: 365: 1388: 1072: 590: 528: 433: 175: 686: 577:, and thus the most westerly point of the republic of Ireland. 1330:"Over 23,000 people apply for job on the Great Blasket Island" 654:' second home on the island has been restored. The home of 598: 594: 532: 1042:"CNA17: Population by Off Shore Island, Sex and Year" 1039: 98:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 1238:"The Village|The Great Blasket Centre and Island" 1506: 531:; a ferry to the island operates from a nearby 1404: 685:(Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and the 1187:"The Blasket Islands: History and Heritage" 61:Learn how and when to remove these messages 1411: 1397: 1162:"Ireland - Geographical facts and figures" 256: 1384:The Blasket Islands: History and Heritage 223:Learn how and when to remove this message 158:Learn how and when to remove this message 1078: 1066: 660: 617: 514: 200:of all important aspects of the article. 14: 1507: 1355:"Damages case by Blasket owners fails" 1327: 950: 830: 710: 196:Please consider expanding the lead to 1392: 1210: 280: 1127: 169: 96:adding citations to reliable sources 67: 26: 1418: 1242:The Great Blasket Centre and Island 671:The Great Blasket Island Experience 24: 1530:Former populated places in Ireland 1166:Travel through the Ireland story.. 945: 825: 705: 25: 1541: 1377: 1328:Slater, Sarah (20 January 2020). 495:) is the principal island of the 42:This article has multiple issues. 1211:Moore, Kieron (6 January 1985). 279: 272: 174: 72: 31: 1347: 1083:Great Blasket from Dunmore Head 683:Discover the Islands of Ireland 676: 665:An abandoned home on the island 188:may be too short to adequately 83:needs additional citations for 50:or discuss these issues on the 1520:Uninhabited islands of Ireland 1321: 1295: 1281: 1255: 1230: 1204: 1179: 1154: 1143: 198:provide an accessible overview 13: 1: 1136: 1062: 1150:Townlands.ie - Great Blasket 622:Old village on Great Blasket 510: 7: 1040:Central Statistics Office. 10: 1546: 1496:List of islands of Ireland 1094:An Old Woman's Reflections 696: 604:Around 1909 and 1910, the 580: 1493: 1467: 1426: 1303:"Living the Blasket life" 1037: 1007:—     963:—     723:—     606:Congested Districts Board 477: 472: 464: 456: 451: 439: 427: 416: 411: 403: 399:346 m (1135 ft) 395: 391:1,124 acres (455 ha) 387: 360: 350: 313: 303: 298: 267: 255: 245: 522:colony on Great Blasket 1106:Twenty Years A-Growing 1084: 1076: 666: 643:Office of Public Works 623: 535:during summer months. 523: 492: 473:Additional information 396:Highest elevation 364:Great Blasket Island, 107:"Great Blasket Island" 1525:Ghost towns in Europe 1480:Muiris Ó Súilleabháin 1267:Government of Ireland 1110:Muiris Ó Súilleabháin 1082: 1070: 693:Historical population 664: 648:Muiris Ó Súilleabháin 621: 518: 335:52.09250°N 10.54250°W 1439:Great Blasket Island 650:is now in ruins but 571:this is Dunmore Head 478:inhabited until 1954 262:Great Blasket Island 92:improve this article 1475:Tomás Ó Criomhthain 1191:dingle-peninsula.ie 1122:Tomás Ó Criomhthain 1102:Fiche Bliain Ag Fás 694: 669:In 2014 a company, 656:Tomás Ó Criomhthain 557:52.1045°N 10.5074°W 553: /  468:0/km (0/sq mi) 340:52.09250; -10.54250 331: /  242: 1090:Machnamh Seanamhná 1085: 1077: 692: 667: 624: 587:Rinn an Chaisleáin 524: 404:Highest point 240: 1502: 1501: 1128:Ownership dispute 1060: 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links 1376: 1373: 1372: 1361:. 28 June 2000 1346: 1320: 1294: 1291:. 30 May 2019. 1280: 1254: 1229: 1213:"The Blaskets" 1203: 1178: 1153: 1141: 1140: 1138: 1135: 1129: 1126: 1064: 1061: 1058: 1057: 1035: 1034: 1031: 1030: 1027: 1024: 1020: 1019: 1016: 1013: 1009: 1008: 1005: 1002: 998: 997: 994: 991: 987: 986: 983: 980: 976: 975: 972: 969: 965: 964: 961: 958: 954: 953: 948: 943: 936: 933: 932: 929: 926: 922: 921: 918: 915: 911: 910: 907: 904: 900: 899: 896: 893: 889: 888: 885: 882: 878: 877: 874: 871: 867: 866: 863: 860: 856: 855: 852: 849: 845: 844: 841: 838: 834: 833: 828: 823: 816: 813: 812: 809: 806: 802: 801: 798: 795: 791: 790: 787: 784: 780: 779: 776: 773: 769: 768: 765: 762: 758: 757: 754: 751: 747: 746: 743: 740: 736: 735: 732: 729: 725: 724: 721: 718: 714: 713: 708: 703: 678: 675: 582: 579: 512: 509: 480: 479: 475: 474: 470: 469: 466: 462: 461: 458: 454: 453: 449: 448: 443: 437: 436: 431: 425: 424: 417: 414: 413: 412:Administration 409: 408: 405: 401: 400: 397: 393: 392: 389: 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Retrieved 1045: 682: 680: 677:Demographics 670: 668: 641:In 2009 the 640: 636: 625: 610: 603: 584: 537: 525: 501:County Kerry 484: 483: 465:Pop. density 452:Demographics 418: 234: 219: 203: 187: 185:lead section 154: 145: 135: 128: 121: 114: 102: 90:Please help 85:verification 82: 58: 51: 45: 44:Please help 41: 1485:Peig Sayers 1359:independent 1307:independent 1098:Peig Sayers 652:Peig Sayers 613:During WWII 560: / 351:Archipelago 338: / 314:Coordinates 1509:Categories 1444:Inishnabro 1137:References 1063:Literature 1051:12 October 601:as fuel. 548:10°30′27″W 545:52°06′16″N 457:Population 407:An Cró Mór 370:Inishnabro 326:10°32′33″W 323:52°05′33″N 206:March 2023 148:March 2023 118:newspapers 47:improve it 1313:6 January 1100:, 1939), 628:Taoiseach 520:Grey seal 511:Geography 299:Geography 190:summarize 53:talk page 1434:Beginish 1038:Source: 575:Blaskets 497:Blaskets 460:0 (2016) 429:Province 366:Beginish 304:Location 1427:Islands 1365:10 June 1339:27 June 1273:27 July 1247:27 July 1222:27 July 1196:4 April 1171:14 July 1073:slipway 1018:−100.0% 985:−100.0% 876:−100.0% 591:heather 581:History 529:Dunquin 505:Ireland 434:Munster 420:Ireland 132:scholar 18:Blasket 1468:People 1046:CSO.ie 865:−40.0% 854:−59.1% 843:−23.1% 811:−10.6% 800:+10.3% 756:+36.8% 734:−36.6% 687:Census 441:County 134:  127:  120:  113:  105:  1029:0.00% 1023:2016 1012:2011 996:0.00% 974:+0.0% 931:0.00% 920:0.00% 909:0.00% 898:0.00% 887:0.00% 789:+9.8% 778:−2.9% 767:+4.6% 745:−2.1% 489:Irish 446:Kerry 139:JSTOR 125:books 1367:2022 1341:2021 1315:2021 1275:2023 1249:2023 1224:2023 1198:2022 1173:2014 1071:The 1053:2016 1001:2006 990:2002 979:1996 968:1991 957:1986 946:Pop. 942:Year 925:1981 914:1979 903:1971 892:1966 881:1961 870:1956 859:1951 848:1946 837:1936 826:Pop. 822:Year 805:1926 794:1911 783:1901 772:1891 761:1881 750:1871 739:1861 728:1851 717:1841 706:Pop. 702:Year 599:turf 597:and 595:peat 533:pier 388:Area 111:news 840:110 808:143 797:160 786:145 775:132 764:136 753:130 720:153 94:by 1511:: 1357:. 1332:. 1305:. 1265:. 1240:. 1215:. 1189:. 1164:. 1120:, 1108:, 1096:, 1044:. 951:±% 862:27 851:45 831:±% 742:95 731:97 711:±% 630:, 593:, 503:, 499:, 491:: 380:, 376:, 372:, 368:, 56:. 1412:e 1405:t 1398:v 1369:. 1343:. 1317:. 1277:. 1251:. 1226:. 1200:. 1175:. 1116:( 1104:( 1092:( 1055:. 1026:0 1015:0 1004:2 993:0 982:0 971:4 960:4 928:0 917:0 906:0 895:0 884:0 873:0 487:( 226:) 220:( 208:) 204:( 194:. 161:) 155:( 150:) 146:( 136:· 129:· 122:· 115:· 88:. 63:) 59:( 20:)

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Great Blasket is located in island of Ireland
Atlantic Ocean
52°05′33″N 10°32′33″W / 52.09250°N 10.54250°W / 52.09250; -10.54250
Blasket Islands
Beginish
Inishnabro
Inishvickillane
Inishtooskert
Tearaght Island

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