4 days ago
West Cork island seeks new head teacher — and more children to help keep its school open
Urgent appeals have been launched to help save one of Ireland's last remaining island primary schools.
Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Chléire on Cape Clear needs a new principal teacher — but the West Cork island also needs children.
In return, island chiefs are offering, among other things, cheap long-term rental accommodation.
The last time the school board ran an appeal for a principal was in 2018, when the 129-year-old school's two teachers retired.
Their retirements came at a time when the falling number of children enrolled in the school sparked fears — which have resurfaced again — that Ireland's southernmost Gaeltacht island primary school could close.
The local community development organisation, Comharchumann Chléire Teo, has launched a campaign for families with school-age children to come and live on the island as a result.
Tourism manager job
As well as the teaching post being advertised by the school's board, there is also a €35,000-a-year tourist manager job up for grabs.
This is to manage the Cape Clear Fastnet Experience and Heritage Centre, which received €1m from Fáilte Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta last year to help the island operate as a 'last stop' gateway destination for tourists keen to visit the Fastnet Lighthouse 6.5km southwest of Cape Clear.
Cape Clear Harbour. See links at the foot of this article including one to Neil Michael's photo-essay on Oileán Chléire. File picture: Neil Mchael
Young families with 'a competency in Irish' will be considered favourably.
But the island is also keen to attract young families from all backgrounds to join a community that hosts more than eight other nationalities, including people from France, Germany, Ukraine, America, and Scotland.
Low-cost housing for young families
By way of incentive, Cape Clear's island development agency manager Kevin McCann and his board is also offering two low-cost rental properties for young families with school-age children, due to be ready for occupation by September.
Mr McCann said: 'We don't expect people to stay forever, although that would be nice. But we do want to encourage anybody with young children and preferably at least one person who wants to be a school principal to come and join our community. If people can commit to trying us out for a year, that would be great.
Island life is not for everyone. But what they will get here is a wonderful sense of community and people do rely on each other here more than in the bigger, more urban areas.
'We are worried that if we have to close the school, it will threaten the viability of the island.
"A functioning school is a very key part of any vibrant community.
"Thankfully, we still have one, but we need to think about its future viability.'
One of the teachers who replaced those who retired in 2018 has since left the island, which has a population of around 100 people — many of whom are over 65.
Just three children enrolled
The number of children enrolled for the next school year is down to just three, from eight in 2020 and 15 in 2015.
A boy and two girls who joined in September 2020 —just three weeks after their parents first set foot on the island — have since returned to their home in Kerry.
A Syrian family, which had moved to the island under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, has also relocated to the mainland.
While the one shop on the island is well stocked 'with the basics', deliveries from Skibbereen's SuperValu arrive at Cape Clear three days a week.
'Pretty decent' broadband
Mr McCann also points out that people can bring their cars onto the island.
With fibre broadband connection points for most houses expected to be in place by around October, he said the island can boast a 'pretty decent' broadband service.
It also has at least two daily return sailings all year round, a daily local bus service, a public library, a public health nurse, two pubs, and its own postal service.
'Apart from anything else, the island is a beautiful place to live,' said Mr McCann, who moved to the island over 30 years ago with his family as a result of an appeal in the 1990s.
'Yes, it can be a bit wild at times, but that just adds to the charm and beauty of the place.'
• Families considering a move to Oileán Chléire should visit and email bainisteoir1ccteo@ Anyone interested in applying for the school principal's job should visit and email snchleire@
