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Great Blasket Island is an island in Ireland known for being 100% wild and uninhabited. It lies off the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. Accessible and visitable, it offers treasures for any traveller not afraid to take to the sea, and hike through its sumptuous landscapes!
Great Blasket Island lies less than 2km offshore from the rest of Ireland. A magnificent site with an eventful history, it was once inhabited before being deserted in 1953 on the orders of the Irish government.
At the time, living conditions were extremely harsh: the cold, humidity and oceanic climate made daily life particularly precarious. The local population did not exceed 160. They all made their living from fishing and sheep farming. Mutual aid was the order of the day, but comfort was limited.
Sadly, it was the death of Seánín Ó Cearnaigh that acted as the catalyst for the island’s evacuation. At the time, this Irishman was living on Great Blasket Island, and fell ill due to bad weather. The latter tried to recover, but eventually died of complications from his illness, as no doctor was able to reach him following a storm.
Bad weather prevented his body from being taken to the consecrated cemetery on the other side of Blasket Sound in Dunquin for a number of days. It was this tragic event that led the islanders to contact the Irish government and request their evacuation.
Great Blasket Island is an uninhabited island… But not completely. Every year, two people are hired to look after the island. Their mission? Welcoming tourists on site, offering them excursions, food and drink, and suitable accommodation for the duration of their stay.
The island generally offers two types of entry:
the first takes place over a day for 80 per person. It leaves from Dingle Bay and takes you to Great Blasket Island. It includes :
The second package includes a day and a night on site. It includes :
Reservations can be made here: www.greatblasketisland.net.
Please note: the island offers a welcome that focuses on respect for the environment and ecological, responsible tourism. The comfort is pleasant, but without frills: you’re satisfied with the essentials, for a respectful experience that’s 100% natural! Don’t count on wifi or even electricity: you’ll have a unique, environmentally-friendly time!
Among the island’s must-sees, there are plenty of places to visit. Starting with its abandoned village: the houses, deserted in 1953, were left as they were. They offer a unique, yet strange experience: like exploring a ghost village!
Other must-sees include a hike up An Cró Mór, the island’s highest point (292 m). You’ll dominate the whole island and enjoy exceptional seascapes!
Last but not least, Great Blasket Island was home to 3 great Irish writers:
Muiris Ó Súilleabháin’s house is now in ruins, but Peig Sayers’ second home in which she lived on the island has been restored and used as part of the inn that used to operate on the island.
Tomás Ó Criomthain’s house was also restored by the OPW in 2018 and can be visited free of charge by the public.
