A Dublin couple who beat more than 40,000 applicants to become caretakers of the remote Great Blasket Island have finished their three month stay.
Annie Birney and Eoin Boyle, from Dún Laoghaire in Co Dublin, moved to the isolated island off the coast of Kerry on June 24th.
They opened the island up to visitors as the country battled with the coronavirus pandemic.
Eoin told Newstalk Breakfast he would happily do it again.
"It was absolutely amazing to have been there for any length of time.
"It was looking like, for a little while, we wouldn't get there at all."
"It was a really interesting time for us because previous to that when we were going, we were told there'd be a lot of tourists - German, French and Americans - loved coming over.
"But this year it was kind of nice and special, we had loads of Irish people coming over and especially even loads of locals from just across the water.
"So we got to find out loads of stories and loads of information that we mightn't have found otherwise, so it was a really special time".
Sin é.
Thank you to family & friends, to Billy,Alice & @island_lesley who brought the island to life last year Thank you all for following our time here
We'll be sitting at the fire tonight, remembering those who must have done the same on the eve of leaving this beautiful place pic.twitter.com/WhrBGyyJWm— Annie Birney (@AnnieBirney) September 30, 2020
'Washing dishes by candlelight'
"Without the electricity it takes a little time to get used to - the main thing was getting used to the light.
"We were spoilt when we got there first because we were just there after the solstice, so we had huge long days and the days were bright.
"But as the days rolled on and we got closer to the end, in September all of a sudden we started getting caught out.
"Trying to wash dishes with a head torch or by candlelight, or even cook your dinner, it's very difficult and very annoying.
"You normally have to do it the next morning you wake up again, and you're looking there going 'Uh oh, I didn't wash that properly last night'".
Asked if he'd do it again, Eoin said: "That'd be nearly impossible to say no if we were asked.
"It was - even without all those comforts - it was really a magical experience.
"The views out in front of you, and just all the people you meet and just being busy being there in that special place would be nearly impossible to say no again".
He added that adapting back to modern will take some time.
"Once we got off the boat in Dingle a tractor rode past us and my God I think we were nearly deaf.
"It's these sights and sounds and even realising that when night falls it's not dark outside - there's a lot of little things that our bodies are slowly getting back used to".
