Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job and escaping the rat race to live on a remote island? Your dreams are about to come true—in Ireland, which has announced that it will be paying people up to €84,000 (around $92,000) to move to one of 30 remote Irish islands.
The program is called “Our Living Islands,” and it’s a visionary project from the Irish government that aims to rejuvenate around 30 sparsely populated offshore spots. For example, there’s Arranmore Island, located off the coast of County Donegal along the magnificent Wild Atlantic Way; rugged 150-foot cliffs dominate the skyline. Then there’s Clare Island off the coast of County Mayo, which is known for its sandy beaches and epic hiking. Bere Island is a quiet paradise popular with walkers, cyclists, bird watchers and plant lovers. Inis Mór, one of the Aran Islands, was a location for the 2022 Oscar-nominated film The Banshees of Inisherin.
Sound dreamy? You decide: These are places that are cut off from the rest of the world—no way to reach the mainland by bridges and sometimes even isolated by the ebb and flow of tides. Most are tiny. Clare Island has a population of just 160 people.
The government’s 10-year strategy is to create thriving communities that will flourish for generations, diversify the islands’ economies, make them more appealing to remote workers and create career opportunities for residents. And it is willing to pay people who are daring enough to embrace the extraordinary lifestyle.
This isn’t the first time a destination has come up with a plan like this. Towns and regions across Italy are using similar promises of money, from Calabria (giving new residents $33,000) to Santo Stefano di Sessanio (which offered up to $52,500). And in the U.S., there have been similar programs, with regions, cities and states paying people to move there.
But with a potential $88,000 windfall, Ireland’s program is certainly one of the most generous.
Like all of these schemes, there’s a catch. This generous financial support is aimed at revitalizing the abandoned properties that grace the islands’ landscapes. Aspiring island dwellers will need to purchase and own a property, provided it was constructed prior to 1993 and has remained vacant for at least two years. The money you’re paid can only be used on building work, from structural improvements to redecoration.
And a caveat: While anyone can buy property in Ireland, it doesn’t guarantee you the right to actually live there. (But who knows, you might be eligible for dual citizenship, citizenship-by-naturalization or be able to secure a work visa.)
But if the idea of waking up to the symphony of crashing waves, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty and a close-knit community, appeals to you, be sure to mark your calendar for July 1, when applications will become available.
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