Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin, a community development organization, is inviting families with school-age children to apply to live there rent-free for an academic year.
“Is a rent free year on Inis Meáin your dream?” Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin said in a post on social media.
“This can now be your reality as Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin are offering a family with school-age children the opportunity to move to Inis Meáin this September and to live rent-free in a lovely modern house for the academic year.”
The lucky family will have access to a preschool, a primary school, and an award-winning secondary school.
Inis Meáin, with a population of fewer than 200 people, is primarily Irish speaking, so the family will enjoy a complete immersion in Irish language and culture. Fluency in Irish, however, is not a requirement to apply.
Aside from its stunning locale, Inis Meáin boasts a brand new remote working hub and employment opportunities, as well as restaurants and attractions.
“Make this academic year a family adventure,” Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin says.
To register, families can contact [email protected] before August 10, 2022.
Dara O’Madaoin, the manager of Comhlacht Forbartha on Inis Meáin, told Newstalk that families of all sizes and make-ups are welcome to apply.
“We’ve been offered a couple of houses from people here on the island,” he said, “so we’re in a great position where we can kind of look at all the applications and see which house and which family would best suit the situation.”
He separately told the Times: “We’re a small community and we want to keep healthy numbers in the schools.
“We thought a great way of doing that would be to get some people to move in.
“There’s a terrible housing crisis all over the country and it’s the same here as anywhere else. We thought we could lessen that pressure for a family for a year, they’d live here and be able to take part in the community.”
Founded in 2016, Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Méain describes itself as a community development organization on Inis Meáin, Aran Islands. It helps promote the island, ensure services, preserve the language, attract funding, and help ensure a better life for the community of Inis Meáin.
The group notes that Inis Meáin has captivated and influenced many language scholars, literary greats, and pioneers of national movement through the ages, as well as early settlers who gifted architectural marvels spanning 6,000 years.
You can learn more about Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Méain on its website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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