Ireland

Couple on career break from teaching to become this year’s caretakers on Great Blasket Island

Taking ‘sabbatical’ from teaching due to ‘rising rent’ pressures forms part of the couple’s reasoning for application

Emma Melay and Darren McFadden were deemed suitable 'for island life'.
Emma Melay and Darren McFadden were deemed suitable 'for island life'.
Sarah Slater
Mon Mar 18 2024 - 19:00

A couple who met while teaching at the same secondary school and have been living “on a shoestring” for the past year travelling around Ireland in a camper van are this year’s new caretakers on the Great Blasket Island.

For Emma Melay (26) originally from Bunclody, Co Wexford, and Darren McFadden (34) from Celbridge, Co Kildare, taking a “sabbatical” from teaching due to “rising rent” pressures formed part of their reasoning for applying for the coveted role.

Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide have applied to become caretakers on the island over the past five years.

Ms Melay, a Home Economics teacher explained they both also wanted to get to know all corners of “Ireland better” despite facing the prospect of living without electricity and running water for six months from April 1st.

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“We’ve been keeping an eye on the couples who were chosen for the caretaker role for some time now and despite there being thousands and thousands of people applying we said we would give it a go.

“We heard that we landed the jobs about three weeks ago. It’s been a real roller coaster of emotions on hearing the news that we were picked. I couldn’t believe what we were hearing,” she said.

Mr McFadden, a Spanish and Business teacher, said that instead of going abroad (for their career break) they decided to look at Ireland differently.

“We worked in Tigh Ruairi on Inis Oírr on the Aran Islands for several months and have been travelling around Ireland in a camper van and it’s been fantastic.”

Teachers Darren McFadden and Emma Melay are taking a break from their careers
Teachers Darren McFadden and Emma Melay are taking a break from their careers

He said, “both are looking forward to being very close to nature and the quiet life, solitude, hearing the rain against the window and living by candlelight at night-time.”

The Kildare man added: “It is great that we feel we are stepping back into history as we’ve been reading all about the island and its people. Not wanting to sound too predictable but we are looking forward to meeting people from home and abroad who will visit the island.”

There are no permanent residents on the island, which was deserted in the 1950s because emergency services were unable to reach it in storms.

Alice Hayes runs the accommodation on the island with her partner Billy O’Connor. The couple own three cottages which are rented out to holidaymakers and a coffee shop on the island.

“Emma and Darren seemed really nice and down to earth and happy to get stuck in [to being caretakers]. When we spoke to them first they were staying in Darren’s grandmother’s house in the hills of Donegal with little wifi, basic amenities and they seemed to be very content with that so Billy and I figured it was a good sign for island life.”