A Fond Farwell to Richard and Janet

Cape Clear Islanders bids a fond farewell to Richard and Janet Fenlon who together have operated and largely transformed the Island Hostel over the past 11 years. Quiet and unassuming, over the years they have lavished much needed loving care and on-going improvements on the premises and gardens and have worked to make it an attractive place for families and groups to enjoy their holidays on the Island. Their home has been a welcoming haven to friends and neighbours and Richard’s idiosyncratic collection of curiosities and especially his very impressive collection of ships in bottles have made the hostel both interesting and cozy.

We thank them for their many quiet contributions to Island life over the past 11 years, the open door for community events in the Hostel, their on-going support of the Island canoe club, the transformation of the surroundings and especially the old walled garden back towards its original function and not least Richard’s contribution to and support for this ferry service of which he is one of the founders and original shareholders.

He will not thank me for reminding readers of his heroic rescue some years ago of a drunker would be kayaker in the early hours of an August Bank Holiday morning when he, without hesitation, put to sea in a small dingy, sans lifejacket, to bring the sometimes unconscious victim ashore safely.

We wish them both all good fortune in their future travels which we hope will lead them to another quite spot where they can put down new roots  in another welcoming place and we look forward to them coming back to visit form time to time.

We also offer our congratulations and best wishes to Neil Ó Riagáin, proprietor of Sean Rua’s Restaurant who takes over the hostel and hope that he continues to go from success to success.