A REPORT published at the end of 2022 suggested that Cape Clear faced being abandoned like the Blaskets were in the 50s because of a housing crisis – and now two years later, the decline continues.

The UCC report claimed that lack of housing threatened the sustainability of life on Oileán Chléire, Bere, Dursey, Heir, Long, Sherkin and Whiddy.

A survey carried out as part of the ‘Housing and Sustaining Communities on the West Cork Islands’ report revealed that  95% of respondents expressed concern about the ageing population and 94% were concerned about depopulation on the islands.

Residents  were particularly concerned about vacant and derelict homes, lack of availability of year-round rental accommodation, people being priced out of the market, and the additional costs of building (estimated as being 40% more expensive than building on the mainland).

Census 2022 revealed that population of Cape Clear, the second most populated island of the West Cork islands, fell by 25% between 2016 and 2022 at a time when the nation’s population increased by 8%.

Co-author Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan noted that Bere Island, which lost 23% of its population between 2011 and 2016, has since then increased its population by 31% ‘which shows that it is possible to reverse population decline especially in the context of remote working and extension of broadband’.

Positively, many of Dr O’Sullivan, and co-author Dr Elaine Desmond’s recommendations were included in 2023 National Islands Policy Our Living Islands, published by the government to support vibrant and sustainable island communities. It proposed a number of housing measures including planning guidelines for rural housing and vacant home officers.

Dr O’Sullivan concluded: ‘There needs to be a major push at government and local authority level to reflect the unique planning interventions that are needed on our islands otherwise we risk losing our invaluable island communities.’