Calvin November 24th, 2008
The following article was originally published in The Countryman magazine in the UK in 2006, and in the Southern Star, Co. Cork in 2007. I’m posting it here because it fits well with the SOHO Solo ethos, and will give people outside of West Cork a bit of insight into its appeal as somewhere to live and work. As always your experiences, thoughts and observations are more than welcome – just post them in the comments. All images and text © 2007 Calvin Jones, All Rights Reserved. (CJ)
Take the N71 west from Cork City and after a short drive you’ll cross an invisible line that defines the boundary of West Cork. This region, at the very southern tip of the island of Ireland, has a colourful and turbulent history. Co. Cork is known as “The Rebel County” to this day, and West Cork was always at the very heart of Ireland’s long struggle for independence from British rule.
The Irish are a vehemently patriotic people – none more so than the people of West Cork – and yet they are among the most open and welcoming people you could ever wish to meet.
When you take account of West Cork’s rugged, beautiful scenery; its vibrant towns and villages; its amiable, welcoming people and its rich cultural heritage it’s easy to see the region’s appeal both as a place to visit, and as a place to live. The area is a magnet for tourists and often has a deep and abiding impact on those who come here. Many return regularly, and some never leave.
I first visited West Cork in 1993. Coming from a rural village on the North Wales coast I was expecting rural Ireland to be similar to what I was used to back home, but as soon as I stepped off the bus onto the streets of Skibbereen I realised that there was something very different about West Cork. During my stint in the region I was captivated by the people and the raw, natural beauty of the place. Although I left after six months to return to Wales, West Cork never really left me, and I knew that one day I would return.
Now it’s 2007, and my family and I have been living in an old schoolhouse in rural West Cork for four years. We couldn’t be happier. It’s a fantastic place for the children, and we’ve been accepted into the local community with open arms. People are friendly and hospitable, and really appreciate it if you make an effort to get involved at a local level. Of course, there are challenges to overcome living in a rural environment. The transition to self employment isn’t always a smooth one, and earning a living can be difficult at first, but the quality of life here is amazing. Everything is much more relaxed than my memories of rural life in the UK.
I’m considered a “blow-in” here – a term that applies to anyone who has come into the area from the world outside. It applies as much to a person from Cork City as it does to those from the UK, Europe or further afield. If you’re not born and bred in West Cork, you’re a blow-in, and will always be… it’s that simple.
Far from being a slight, the term blow-in is simply a label that identifies you as different, and if anything I’ve found it applied in an endearing and complimentary manner. Locals seem to embrace the diversity and variety that blow-ins bring to the region, and different is usually seen as a positive thing.
Unsurprisingly, given the proximity and shared language, a large proportion of West Cork’s blow-ins hail from across the Irish Sea, with UK nationals making up over five percent of the West Cork population. That’s double Ireland’s national average.
“If you look at the demographic makeup of the region it’s not really typical of an Irish rural area. There are a lot more influences from different places that have been absorbed within the region,” said Ian Dempsey, Chief Executive of the West Cork Leader Co-Operative, a state organisation supporting community and enterprise development. “Over a long period of time people have been attracted to move to West Cork,” he said.
There’s little doubt that Ireland in general, and West Cork in particular, has a lot to offer as a place to live. In a quality of life survey The Economist Intelligence Unit conducted in 2005 Ireland ranked in 1st place out of 111 countries worldwide, compared to the UK’s 29th. West Cork Leader has conducted a similar study in an Irish context. “When you benchmark West Cork against a number of other counties, and against a national average, a very positive quality of life emerges for people living in West Cork,” confirmed Ian Dempsey.
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Tags: articles, blow in, published, West Cork, West Cork Leader
