An Blascaod Mór is the largest island of the Blasket islands, an archipelago located off the coast of west Kerry. The island is a nationally significant heritage site due to the important literary and cultural output of its tiny community in the first half of the 20th century and the substantial collection of books – nearly 100 in all - that have been written about life on the Blasket Islands in the past century. The island is also a Special Area of Conservation and a Natura 2000 site.
The OPW’s involvement with An Blascaod Mór goes back to 1988 with Ionad an Bhlascaoid, (the Blasket Centre) which was developed with assistance from the locally based voluntary group, Fondúíreacht an Bhlascaoid in 1992/3. It was officially opened in April 1994.
The State purchased the majority of the holdings on the island in 2009 and the OPW has restored a number of the houses on the island since then, including the home of the pre-eminent Blasket author, Tomás Ó Criomhthain. The Blasket Centre was the subject of a major €2.9 million upgrade that was opened in 2022 under a strategic partnership between Fáilte Ireland, OPW and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Centre employs over 20 people and is open on a seasonal basis from March to November. A €1.2 million clifftop Wild Atlantic Way Viewing Platform was also constructed on the Blasket Centre site in partnership with Fáilte Ireland, which opened in 2020 and provides an accessible viewing point for visitors.
The conservation and protection of An Blascaod Mór continues to be of great importance to the OPW. Visitor access to the island has now commenced for the 2024 season. The OPW is focussed on conserving and protecting the Island while providing facilities so visitors can appreciate and enjoy An Blascaod Mór.
The OPW has reached an agreement with a local landowner to provide toilet facilities for visitors for the 2024 season. This facility, which also includes an indoor shelter for visitors, was in place for the entirety of the 2023 season and proved successful. Work on progressing permanent welfare facilities for visitors is also underway; a design team was appointed for this in early August 2023. Preliminary feasibility investigations and options appraisals have been completed, and the design team is currently seeking further specialist design input.
The OPW continues to plan for improved landing facilities on the Island. This would allow boats to land passengers directly rather than requiring a transfer at sea to a RIB. Planning permission for a pier was previously granted in 2003. However, Kerry County Council have advised that is necessary to secure fresh planning permission. This is because there have been significant changes in the designated status of the island. Environmental regulations have also changed in the period since the original permission was granted.
This will require new environmental and other reports to support such a planning application. A detailed solution for the design of these landing facilities is also required. A senior officials group comprised of relevant stakeholders has been convened to progress this objective, and they will continue to meet throughout 2024. The work of the consultants appointed to provide expert advice on ecological and planning issues related to the landing facilities is substantially underway. These studies have highlighted the importance of balancing the protection of the biodiversity of the island with the provision safer landing facilities.
An Blascaod Mór has a rich biodiversity and wildlife presence. The OPW completed a biodiversity baseline study in early 2023. This study provides valuable data on the habitats and species present on the island, and also in the lands surrounding the Blasket Centre. This study will guide the OPW's work to ensure that biodiversity on the Island is protected.
Most visitors to An Blascaod Mór take great care not to cause any damage to the biodiversity or the heritage buildings on the Island. In the 2023 season, the OPW arranged for a leaflet to be distributed to visitors, explaining how to protect the wildlife and heritage on the island. This leaflet was been provided to the boat operators to share with visitors before they arrive on the island, to minimise any potential environmental impact of providing this extra information to ensure the ongoing conservation of the Island, the leaflet was printed on biodegradable paper. This leaflet will be continue to be distributed this year.
The OPW is committed to the longer term preservation of the Island. This is why a team, led by Molloy and Associates Conservation Architects, were appointed in 2023 to formulate a new Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the island. This plan will consider the elements of conservation, heritage protection, archaeology, transport planning, marine biology and environmental ecology in relation to the Island. Work by the interdisciplinary team is at an advanced stage, and a preliminary draft of the plan is with my officials for consideration. The plan will include a comprehensive inventory of the built and natural heritage of the Island. It will acknowledge the Island’s status as a Special Area of Conservation and a Natura 2000 site and its unique role in Irish cultural heritage.
The Deputy may wish to note that the lands at Dún Chaoin's ferry point are not owned by the OPW, they are owned by Kerry County Council. The provision of facilities at this ferry point is a matter for the local authority.
I welcome the recent announcement of the new Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara Ciarraí as a positive development in the conservation and management of the heritage and natural environment of West Kerry and the intrinsic heritage and cultural value of the Great Blasket. I look forward to making my first visit to the island as Minister now that access has resumed for the 2024 season.
