The Great Blasket Islands

The Great Blasket Island, the most westerly point in Europe, is the largest of a group of islands located 3 miles off the tip of the Dingle Peninsula Gaeltacht, 13 kilometers west of Dingle town. In the past few years a number of the houses on the island have been restored and amenities provided for visitors to the island. There are six main islands, plus some rocky islets and sea stacks. The Great Blasket Island, separated from the mainland by the Blasket Sound, is by far the largest of the islands and rises to 292 m above sea level. Inishtooskert, Inishnabro, Inishvickillane and Tearaght Island are located to the West and South West of the Great Blasket, and, with the main island, rise steeply from the sea. In contrast, the remaining island Beginish is a small, low-lying island, its green plateau used as a source of fodder for livestock.

Guide Service introduced to An Blascaod Mór (Great Blasket Island).

After months of preparation, the OPW Great Blasket Centre (Ionad An Bhlascaoid Mhóir), on the mainland at Dún Chaoin,  initiated a guide service on the Great Blasket island on Thursday, 10 June.

Whilst on the island, the guides will be based in rented premises on An Slinneán Bán. Part of the rented accommodation includes  a house, built by the Congested District Board , at the beginning of the 20th century, where Peig Sayers  raised her family and related her stories.

Weather permitting, there will be two  OPW guides  on duty on the island every  day and there will be  guided tours of the island village, at intervals,  according to demand.

The  guide service will be administered from the Great Blasket Centre and local ferries will be used to  bring the guides,  from the pier  at Dún Chaoin,  to An Blascaod Mór every morning and back to the mainland  on the last ferry  leaving the island.

The State, through the  OPW, purchased   the majority of the  titles on the Great Blasket early in 2009, including most of the ruined village, leaving the State  now  as the majority landowner.     Plans are being drawn up for the conservation and preservation of the island village – simply referred to as “An Baile” by its inhabitants.

Health and Safety measures  are  also being implemented, including the erection of protective fencing around some of the most derelict buildings on the island.

It is hoped that the introduction of the OPW guide service to the island will enhance the visitor experience and will, in due course, attract more cultural tourist to the “Next Parish to America”.

Those who have visited  the island during the past week, in beautiful summer weather, have availed of the guide service and have been very laudatory about the quality of the information imparted by the guides.

Guides Oileán:

Áine Ní Dhubháin, Head Guide, Great Blasket Centre (left)  and Muireann Ní Chearna, a Blasket Centre Guide, on the  Great Blasket  Island on June 10, 2010, the  day a guide service was initiated on he island by OPW.  Muireann’s grandparents,  Céit Sheáin Team Ó Cearna and Peaidí Sheáisí Ó Cearna were born  on the Great Blasket.

Tigh Pheig:

Sitting at the hearth in Peig Sayers’s island home  on Great Blasket -  Áine Ní Dhubháin, Head Guide, Great Blasket Centre (left) and Muireann Ní Chearna, a Blasket Centre Guide, on June 10, 2010, the  day a guide service was initiated on the island by OPW.  This is where Peig related her stories to all those who cared to listen to them.

The Island in the twentieth century was home to four of the country's most important native Gaelic writers. Their work, both in the native Gaelic and through translations into English and other languages has deservedly achieved worldwide recognition. The Blasket Islands are of great importance for breeding seabirds. The sea cliffs, and deep ocean ensure the Islands are home to a diversity of breeding seabirds amongst the highest in Ireland or Britain. On the islands and sea stacks the following breeding populations are to be found: Guillemot, Cormorant, Kittiwake, Razorbill, Puffin, Shag, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Gull and Herring Gull.

Hourly Ferry Service from Dun Chaoin [Dunquin] To Great Blasket Island, from April 1st to October 31st.

Blasket Islands Dun Chaoin Ferry Co. Ltd. T/A Blasket Islands Ferry operates two passenger vessels-M.V. "Blasket Princess" and M.V. "An Blascaod Mor"-from Dun Chaoin [Dunquin] to Great Blasket Island, carrying 44 passengers and 40 passengers each.There is inside seating for 20 passengers on "Blasket Princess" and for 12 pasengers on "An Blascaod Mor." Vessels are D.O.M. certified and Local Skipper and Crew are fully trained and qualified. There is a marine toilet on board. Great Blasket is about 2.5 nautical miles distant from Dun Chaoin and the trip takes about 15 mins.@10 kts.

Mick's boat is leaving Dunquin pier at 10.00 11.00 12.00 15.00 and 16.00 hrs,

Jan's boat is leaving at 10.30, 11.30 12.30 13.30 and 14.30

Eco Marine Adventure Tours

Blasket Islands Eco Marine Adventure Tours runs An Eco Marine Tour twice daily at 1200hrs. and 1500hrs. from Dun Chaoin round the Blasket Islands returning at 1430hrs. and 1730hrs. approx.Activities include whale watching [Minke, Humpback and Fin] in season; Dolphins, Basking Shark and Seal watching; Puffins at Inishvickillaun; Arctic Tern at Beginish as well as Guillemots,Shags,Cormorants Petrels, Gannets etc. Spectacular seascapes and Landscapes including Cathedral Rocks at Inish na Bro and the steepest funicular rail track in Europe from the pier to the Lighthouse at Tiaracht.

Dunmore Hd. is the most westerly part of Ireland and we will travel over the site of the wreck of the Spanish Armada Galleon "Santa Maria de la Rosa".

The Adventure Tour vessel is the new Lochin 40ft. M.V."An Blascaod Mor" with twin 315hp.Cummins engines and a top speed of 23kts; or the M.V."Blasket Princess" with twin John Deere 220hp. engines and flying bridge to view wildlife.Tour routes will change daily depending on weather and wildlife distribution.

Mick's Eco Marine Adventure Tour leaves Dunquin at 12.00,

Jan's Eco Tour at 2.30.

Our rates are as follows: Ferry:

€25 adults/ €15 children under 12 / Family (2 ad/2ch under 12) €70

Eco Tour: €20/ €35/ €100

Combined Ferry and Tour: €40 / €25/ €115

Please notify Booking Office of any Special Needs.
Ferry may be cancelled at short notice due to weather and sea conditions.
Enquiries may be made at Information / Booking Office at top of pier Dun Chaoin,or Marine Activities Office,head of pier, Dingle [Next door to Tourist Information Office]

Booking: 066 9154864 / 087 2316131

Information /Customer Relations: 0863353805
Group Rates: 0863353805

Blasket Island Ferries and around Island Eco tours Ferries to the Great Blasket Island. Also run guided Eco tours around the Blasket archipelago. Ferrys and tours operate from 10:00 until 18:30.

* Please visit the web site to find out about current rates for ferry trips

Home made scones and cake are provided free of charge on the eco tour. Boat trip leave from Dunquin pier daily.

Take a fast (40 Minute) ferry from Dingle Marina to the Great Blasket Island. Watch out for Fungie the dolphin at the entrance to Dingle Harbour, then sit back and soak in the scenery as you round Slea Head and approach the Blasket Island. The island evacuated in 1953, was home to many famous Irish writers including Peig Sayers. Walk the 1100 acres of unspoilt largely mountainous terrain, relax on the beautiful beach or explore the abandoned village and the fascinating cultural and literary history of the island.

Join us on a tour of the most westerly islands in Europe Enjoy a fascinating 3 hour guided tour of the Blasket islands aboard our two new 70 passenger Eco Tour Boats. Soak in the magnificent scenery of Inisvickilaun (look out for the herd of Red deer), Inisnabro (Cathedral rocks) and the Great Blasket Island. Cruise among the seals, puffins, gannets and other seabirds of the outer islands while keeping watch for whales, dolphins and porpoises. Make sure to bring your camera!