One thing you learn very quickly as a student on Inis Meáin is how to adapt.
If the electricity goes, you light a candle. If the weather changes, plans change. And if something breaks, you can be fairly sure Comhlacht Forbatha Inis Meáin will be involved fixing it somehow.
Life here teaches resilience, and that’s something that the Comhlacht supports every day. After speaking with Paddy Ó Foghlú, the young manager of the Comhlacht Forbatha Inis Meáin and a past pupil of the local school, I began to understand how important the organisation is to the island.
Paddy first came here as a student in December. He remembers arriving to bad weather and a very grey, grim day, and at first the island did not feel very welcoming. However, that quickly changed and he soon fell in love with the place.
He returned for the 2015–2016 academic year and described it as one of the best years of his life. At the time there were only 32 students in the school, with 16 boarders and 16 island students, which meant friendships formed easily.
Leaving the island was not easy for Paddy. He moved back to Dublin, mainly because he missed sports and city life, but he stayed closely connected to Inis Meáin. He returned often for holidays and events and kept strong friendships with islanders. After finishing university, he applied for a job with Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin. Although he didn’t get it the first time, he applied again when the position became available and in April 2024 returned to the island as manager.
One of the biggest developments Paddy spoke about was the community centre. When he was in school, the building was in poor condition and falling apart, whereas today it is a central hub on the island. It now contains the Comhlacht’s offices, a remote working hub and an upstairs space used for yoga, dancing, meetings and community events. Even though it is just one building, it has made a huge difference.
Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin is a community development organisation, but its work covers everything from infrastructure to social projects. When storms hit or something breaks, the Comhlacht steps in. A recent five-year development plan includes around 70 recommendations. Because most of the island is a conservation area, development takes time and patience.
As a young person working on the island, Paddy values the quality of life. His commute is only two minutes instead of hours in Dublin traffic. He also shared a funny story about being given a bike by a committee member when he first arrived, no questions asked. For me as a student, this shows how Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin helps keep the island supportive, active and hopeful for the future.
As a student, I can see how the Comhlacht helps support island life behind the scenes. From encouraging young people to return, to helping the community adapt and survive, it plays a key role in keeping Inis Meáin strong.
It proves that resilience is not just about surviving on an island, but about choosing to invest in it, again and again.
