We're all hoping for a summer filled with sunshine and maybe even some sea and sand, but one couple seems to already have the award for best summer sewn up.
This week on the Jennifer Zamparelli show on RTÉ 2fm, Lottie caught up with Claire and Brock, who are this year's Summer caretakers of the Great Blasket Island off the coast of Co. Kerry – a coveted job that receives applications from all over the world.
Ceantar Gaeltachta é oileán an Bhlaoscaoid atá suite amach ó chósta Chorca Dhuibhne. Bhain an t-oileán cáil amach mar spás speisialta scéalaíochta agus litríochta a bhuíochas le léithéidí Thomás Uí Chriomthain agus Peig Sayers a scríobh ar a dtaithí siúd mar oileánaigh.
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The couple phoned in from the island, where they've already set up shop for the next few months. Their story is certainly one of serendipity and travel, as they met four years ago in the Netherlands when Brock was there playing hockey.
"It was a love at first sight kind of thing, and we've been travelling the last four years. We went to Canada and travelled in our camper van for two years, then went over to Indonesia for six or seven months, then back to Canada for a bit, over to Europe and travelled around Europe for a little while."
Fresh off a trip to Portugal, they chose to move to the rugged island in Kerry, they said. "I think we're kind of crazy people, a little bit, and we like adventure", Claire said. "We always like to start new chapters."
Thousands of people applied for the job, so when they found out they'd won the spot it was an "instant yes". Before they packed their bags, however, the couple had to make sure the working visas were secured, as well as the logistics of moving. Clearly, they made it work for this "once in a lifetime" opportunity.
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"While we're young and have the energy, [we want to] really dive into the culture. Maybe when I'm older I'll relax a little!"
A week and a half into their job, they said it's been "pretty busy". "We had to make sure the cottages were clean and ready for the guests, and we were actually supposed to have guests last Friday but it got cancelled because of the weather."
Before those guests arrived, however, the couple were the only people on the island. How have they spent their time? "Reading a lot of books", Claire said, as well as hiking for hours around the island to get their bearings.
With cottages, no fancy mod-cons and a ruggedly beautiful setting, surely it's a romantic spot to spend a few months together? "Yes", Brock laughed. "It's just candlelight, so Claire has a million candles going every day. It's pretty cosy in here."
Aside from the ambiance, do they have the typical creature comforts like hot water and plenty of electricity on the island? "There's this tiny little windmill behind our place, so that gives us a little bit of electricity to keep our phones charged. It doesn't give much more electricity for anything other than that.
"We do actually have hot showers. It used to be only cold showers but they've actually upgraded with a little heating system."
Listen to the full interview with Brock and Claire here or above.
