OPW scrambled to find fix after people used home of Peig Sayers as a toilet

Caretakers on the island said one of two homes Peig Sayers lived in on the island was among a number of ruins on the island being used as a toilet.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) looked at the installation of so-called eco-toilets on the Blasket Islands following controversy last year when the home of Peig Sayers was seen being used for “peeing or pooping” by visitors.

As reported in the Irish Examiner last October, caretakers on the island said one of two homes Peig Sayers lived in on the island was among a number of ruins on the island being used as a toilet.

Brock Montgomery and Claire de Haas say they routinely saw tourists “peeing or pooping” in the ruins of the famous Irish story-telling seanchaí’s first home.

They also saw them urinating and defecating in nearby ruins on the island, which was inhabited until 1953 when the 22 remaining residents were evacuated.

Internal records detail how OPW staff scrambled to find a short-term fix to the lack of public conveniences on Blascaod Mór after Junior Minister Patrick O’Donovan promised they would be in place by this summer.

Among the options considered were installation of eco-toiletsnear an OPW guide post on the island, but which “crucially” would have required planning consent and permission from the Government department responsible.

A view of the Inishtooskert known locally as An Fear Marbh the most northern of the Blasket Islands. Picture: Dan Linehan

An internal note said the eco composing facility would require little or no maintenance and that a solar pump wormery and oxygenation box would take care of waste.

The type of toilet involved does not have to be connected to a sewage network, has extremely low power needs, and can be run at a fraction of the cost of regular public toilets.

In the end, the OPW settled on the temporary rental of a cottage on the islands as a short-term fix for this summer.

Internal records said a long-term solution was going to be more difficult to put in place including renovation of existing derelict toilets.

One email said: “This would require renovation of the block and ensuring that the sewage system already in place is compliant and suitable for the purpose and coming to a mutually agreeable arrangement.” 

Another email explained how a cottage could be blocked for the entire summer except for four nights when it had already been reserved.

An email from the owners said: “Regardless of what option is chosen these bookings will have to be honoured by us and will … therefore closed to the public.” 

The OPW said they were looking for the toilets to be cleaned and serviced but that they would like a key to have access. An email said: 

We might avail of the accommodation for OPW personnel during the season, should this be required.” 

As negotiations came to a close, an OPW staff member said it was a relief to have a solution in place.

“The rental of an entire cottage for the season would allow us a little breathing space to put a plan together for something for the 2024 season,” said an email.

Public statement 

In internal discussions, concerns were also raised over a public statement that appeared to minimise the level of anti-social behaviour that had been recorded on the island last year.

A draft statement had said: “The OPW staff on the island did not identify any notable antisocial behaviour on the island.” However, a staff member wrote to colleagues saying: “I have concerns about the content of this statement, and the possible effect it could have, which might exacerbate matters.” 

He said the OPW needed to acknowledge that there had been “reports … received of concerning behaviour in a small number of isolated incidents”.

Asked about the records, a spokeswoman for the OPW said: “The Office of Public Works is providing toilet facilities to visitors of An Blascaod Mór.

“These toilets have been available since the start of the season in April 2023.”