Beauty of Remote Welsh Island Lures Job Applicants

Ynys Enlli (English: Bardsey Island) is an island that lies two miles off the tip of Penrhyn Llŷn (Llŷn Peninsula) in north west Wales. The Llŷn Peninsula stretches into the Irish Sea and the island of Ynys Enlli is just 0.6 miles (1.0 km) wide, 1.0 mile (1.6 km) long. However, this remote island is steeped in history and a place of great natural beauty and importance which has been declared a National Nature Reserve.

The seas around Ynys Enlli are rich in marine life. The island is an important nesting site for various species of birds including the Manx Shearwater. It is also home to a variety of important and rare plant life. Ynys Enlli also has a history of being inhabited since neolithic times with traces of ancient hut cirlces. It was also an important Christian religious centre for many centuries. It was here that the Breton Saint Cadfan built Saint Mary's Abbey in the sixth century. A Celtic Cross standing in the ruins of the Abbey commemorates the 20,000 saints that are said to be buried on the island.

Perhaps then it comes as no surprise that a job advert placed by Bardsey Island Trust for someone to manage the island has attracted around 300 applicants from all over the world. The Bardsey Island Trust are seeking someone bilingual in English and Welsh with a knowledge of the island. They will look after visitors as well undertake maintenance over the winter months along with the other seven people who live on the island. Applications close today (July 31) and the successful applicant starts work on October 1, 2015.