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Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Ensuring housing the best way to get people to live on gaeltacht island, says co-op manager
Ongoing housing shortages are 'undermining' the work carried out in gaeltacht regions and pose a 'significant obstacle' to recruit people to work in such communities. This is according to the regional authority responsible for the economic, social, and cultural development of Irish-speaking regions, Údarás na Gaeltachta. The comments come amid serious housing shortages on Cape Clear, Cork, and how the lack of housing there threatens the island's survival. The Irish Examiner last month highlighted a search by the island's co-op, Comharchumann Chléire Teoranta, for a new teacher and families. Housing has become a particularly acute issue on what is one of only six of Ireland's inhabited islands in the gaeltacht. An Údarás na Gaeltachta spokesperson said: 'We are acutely aware of the housing challenges that exist across gaeltacht areas, including the islands. 'While Údarás na Gaeltachta's remit does not cover housing provision, we recognise the lack of adequate housing presents significant obstacles in recruiting skilled workers and for maintaining vibrant Irish-speaking communities. The housing shortage represents a critical infrastructure gap that undermines the economic and community development work we undertake The warning echoes one made by the body in September 2022, when it warned holiday homeowners are among the biggest threats to the survival of the Irish language. It said the lack of housing in gaeltacht areas was forcing young couples to move away from parts of the country where Irish is the predominant language spoken. With just four children enrolled to start in the island's primary school this year, there are concerns about Cape Clear's Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Chléire ability to stay open. Restoration for renting In a bid to encourage people to move to the island, Comharchumann Chléire Teoranta started persuading islanders to use government grants to restore derelict properties and make them available to rent. Two properties are due to be ready for occupancy by the end of the year, with one due by the end of August. A points-based competition run solely by the co-op to find tenants for these homes was launched in July and has attracted interest from 16 families. One of the main criteria is that families would have children of primary school-going age, and two families have so far been chosen as suitable. They each have children, their parents are employed, and can work either in a hybrid or remote capacity, and they either speak Irish or at least have a connection to the island. The rent they pay and the length of time they stay will now be determined by whatever agreement they come to with the respective landowners. Comharchumann Chléire Teoranta Bainisteoir Kevin McCann, who runs the island's co-op, says young Irish people are forced to leave due to housing pressures. Picture: Neil Michael. Comharchumann Chléire Teoranta bainisteoir Kevin McCann said: 'We are delighted with the result of the competition we ran. Our overall aim is to get permission to build gateway housing on the island that people can live in for a period of time before they build their own property on the island. "We want to encourage people to come to the island and live, and the best way to do that is to make sure there is accommodation for them when they get here.' Údarás na Gaeltachta added: 'We have seen first-hand how businesses struggle to attract and retain employees when suitable accommodation is not available, and how young Irish speakers are forced to leave their communities due to housing pressures. 'We continue to work collaboratively with local authorities, government departments, and other stakeholders to highlight these challenges and advocate for solutions. 'We regularly engage with the Department of Housing and local councils to emphasise how housing shortages directly impact economic sustainability in gaeltacht areas. 'We believe that a co-ordinated approach between all relevant agencies is essential to address both the economic and housing needs of gaeltacht communities, ensuring that our investments in business development can achieve their full potential in supporting thriving Irish-speaking communities.' Cork County Council was asked for a comment.
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
Tiny school on stunning Irish island with clear water, dolphins & turtles issued urgent appeal as it faces closure
APPEALS to save one of Ireland's last Island primary schools have been launched after only three children enrolled for the next school year. Scoil Naisiunta Inis Chleire is a historic Irish-speaking primary school situated on the island of Cape Clear off the coast of West 3 The appeal comes after only three children enrolled in the next school year The 129-year-old It echoes appeals made in 2018, when the school's only two teachers retired. Now fears that Ireland's southernmost Gaeltacht island primary school could close have resurfaced. As a result, the local community development organisation, Comharchumann Chleire Teo, has launched a campaign aimed at bringing READ MORE FROM IRISH NEWS Amenities such cheap long-term rental accommodation and fibre broadband are being advertised in an attempt to draw visitors to the island. A €35,000-a-year tourist manager job is also being offered, in order to manage the Cape Clear Fastnet Experience and Heritage Centre, a site which received €1million from Failte Ireland and Udaras na Gaeltachta last year. While families with a competent level of Irish are considered favourable, the island is also keen to attract families from various backgrounds and nationalities. The island, notably already boasts a varied community, with residents from France, Germany, Ukraine, MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN Cape Clear's island development agency manager, Kevin McCann, and his board are currently offering two low-cost rental properties for September as an incentive for young families to move to the island. Mr McCann said to the Irish Examiner: "We don't expect people to stay forever, although that would be nice. But we do want to encourage anybody with young children and preferably at least one person who wants to be a school principal to come and join our community." NEWCOMERS NEEDED He added: "Island life is not for everyone. But what they will get here is a wonderful sense of community and people do rely on each other here more than in the bigger, more urban areas." Residents like McCann worry that a closure of the school would threaten the island's viability. The island currently boasts a local bus service, a public library, a public health nurse, two pubs, and its own postal service. However, with the number of 3 The 129-year-old school is one of the last Island primary schools in the country 3 The school is currently in need of a new principal teacher, and students in order to remain open
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Torres: All charges dropped against Abramowski. His quest for freedom is complete
It's over. Jeff Abramowski's 23-year quest for freedom came to an end Monday afternoon when State Attorney Will Scheiner announced in court that the state would no longer be pursuing murder charges against the 64-year-old Melbourne man. Abramowski was freed from detention on April 3 after Scheiner did not contest a motion by defense attorney Kevin McCann to overturn Abramowski's 2006 murder conviction and subsequent life sentence. McCann, who was drawn to work on the case pro bono after listening to Abramowski's story in season four of my "Murder on the Space Coast" podcast, presented new DNA evidence that convinced Scheiner to move to vacate the conviction. Scheiner said he had been waiting for confirmation that there was no additional material left from under the victim's fingernail to test for DNA before officially dropping the charges. He also said that some witnesses have died in the 23 years since the murder. 'The State Attorney's Office prosecuted Jeffrey Abramowski in good faith 19 years ago based on the best available DNA evidence and witness testimony," Scheiner said in a written statement released after the hearing. "Now, also in good faith, we are declining to retry Mr. Abramowski because of new DNA evidence, the loss of key witnesses, and an inability to re-test archived evidence for DNA using current techniques.' 'Our prosecutors' mission from the start has been to achieve justice for survivors of the victim, Cortney Crandall. I know this outcome is frustrating for them, and I sympathize. However, the state cannot continue to prosecute Mr. Abramowski because we no longer can prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.' Abramowski had been convicted of killing 78-year-old Courtney "Dick" Crandall in his Palm Shores mobile home in 2002 with a claw hammer and a clothing iron. Results of recent testing on up DNA found on the weapons show that the DNA came from two separate individuals. Of those samples, one definitely excluded Abramowski, and the other is a likely exclusion. While the conviction and sentence were overturned, Scheiner was reluctant to dismiss all charges until he had a chance to go through all the evidence another time. The 90-day window to try Abramowski again for the charges was to expire next week. Crandall had no shortage of enemies. According to police, Crandall sold Oxycontin. They said he would befriend addicts, like Abramowski, and take them doctor shopping to area pill mills. Crandall would pay fo the doctor visits and the prescriptions and keep the bulk of the pills in order to sell them. There were numerous problems with Abramowski's conviction including a Brevard County Sheriff's Detective lying on the witness stand, a previous defense attorney suffering through untreated mental illness, inmates who said the state tried forcing them to lie against Abramowski and the lack of any physical evidence. There was also the very strange "coincidence" that Crandall's live-in girlfriend, Judy Foley, and her adult son Bruce ― who just had a physical altercation with Crandall a week earlier ― left town in the middle of the night with no money, the weekend that Crandall's body was discovered. The pair, along with Foley's sister and Crandall's former girlfriend, Rita Akridge, fled to Alabama for no apparent reason. All three were addicted to drugs as well. But perhaps the biggest problem with the case was the fact that Crandall was found with Oxycontin and cash in his pockets despite investigators saying Abramowski killed Crandall for his drugs. Since his release, Abramowski has been living with his daughter and her family in Palm Bay. He is most looking forward to having some medical issues resolved before planning out how he wants to live the rest of his life. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Contact Torres at jtorres@ You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard County State Attorney decides not to try Abramowski again
