Marooned West Cork islanders will discover soon if they will get a ferry service

Dursey Island's residents and visitors alike have been cut off due to the temporary halt of its cable car service since March 31

The cable car between the West Cork mainland and Dursey Island has temporarily ceased operating for repairs. Picture: Dan Linehan

Islanders stranded on one of Ireland's islands are expected to find out over the coming days when they are to get a long-promised ferry service to the mainland.

Four farmers, who have homes and families on the mainland, and at least two full-time islanders, have been trapped on Dursey Island since March 31.

This is when the famous cable car that links them to the mainland — the only one of its kind in Europe — was temporarily shut by Cork County Council.

A fifth farmer has been able to get on and off, but only because he has a small boat and is prepared to scramble up and down cliffs to get to his farm on the island.

Many people wishing to get on and off Dursey Island off the Beara Peninsula in West Cork have been marooned due to the halting of the cable car service. Picture Dan Linehan

An elderly islander stranded on the mainland for at least two days had to wait for sea conditions to improve before a boat owner could take them back to their home on the island.

Martin Sheehan, who last saw his family on the mainland on March 31, said: “I am hoping to have the news I have been waiting for some time now, later today or tomorrow.

I did manage to get off the island once to see my family. But I really could do with things being sorted out now and I hear we may finally have some good news. 

Both Cork County Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development were asked for a comment.

The decision late last month by the department to fund a ferry service for Dursey Island had been welcomed by farmers and island residents who will use it.

The service, will run for about six to eight weeks, according to Danny Collins — the local councillor who has been lobbying on behalf of islanders for the service — and will only operate three days a week.

"It’s not ideal but it is something,” he said.

We were looking for a seven-day operation but the selected boat is quite small. As far as I understand it, the budget from the department will only stretch to three days a week.

“The next step will be for a bigger tender, and that has to go up on the EU tenders website,” he said.

While a limited ferry service now looks set to be launched, tourists will not be able to use it, which will be bad news for businesses that rely on tourists visiting the island and using the cable car.

An estimated 22,000 people pay to use the cable car every year.

Of those, it is estimated around 16,500 stay in accommodation on the island or in the local area.

In her statement on March 30, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys confirmed “once-off emergency funding” for Cork County Council to provide a temporary ferry service to ensure “Dursey Island residents and the local farming community” will continue to have “reliable mainland connectivity”.

Yesterday, a Cork County Council spokesperson said: "The tendering process to procure a ferry operator to provide a temporary ferry service to Dursey Island has concluded.

"The preferred tenderer has been selected and the Council is currently engaging with the company with respect to contractual matters.

"Once appointed, the ferry operator will liaise with islanders, having regard to weather conditions and budgetary constraints.

"It is hoped that ferry operations can commence shortly once contracts have been finalised and the necessary marine licence has been secured by the ferry company."