How the Refurbishment of an old Sea Captain House on Cape Clear Island brought a long lost Schooner back to life.
Atlantic View, Cape Clear
Atlantic View is the old home of the famous seafaring Cadogan family. Appropriately overlooking the Island’s South Harbour the house is sturdy, spacious and well built. It overlooks some of the finest fields on the Island. This is testament to the solid prosperity of the family who lived there in days gone by.
Din Cadogan, Famous Sea Captain
Denis ( Din ) Cadogan, the most famous was also the last one to live there. he was one of the two island men to accompany Conor O’Brien on his famous voyage of 1925/26 to deliver the Illen to the Faulkland Islands. Din lived to a ripe old age and had many tales to tell having lived a long life at sea. His house and lands were always kept in a pristine condition.
Refurbishment for a Family – Croí Cónaithe Scheme
Atlantic View is being restored under the Croi Cónaithe scheme by the Bradshaw Family in honor of its last occupants, Roy & Sylvie Bradshaw. It will soon be upgraded to modern standards for a lucky family to begin a new life on Cape Clear Island.
Uncovering Stories from the past
All grand old houses have their stories and some are in plain sight.
Like the bell which still hangs outside the main door. Others take a little digging like the large quern stone seen here. Amongst forgotten possessions of times gone by are numerous editions, of World-Radio from 1931. Many still have their original postage stamps. These show a modern and prosperous family well connected to the wide world far beyond the shores of Cape Clear Island.
Good Neighbours
On Cape Clear friendly neighbors like to follow progress and will often call by to see how a refurbishment is progressing. And such a recent visit by neighbor Pat Leonard, brought even more history to light.
An Elaborate Coal Bunker
You see there was a very elaborate coal bunker made with some very impressive slate. No longer functional the slate itself was gradually reworked and incorporated into the house itself.
Two restored fireplaces now have new stages made from this slate which has also contributed to an impressive windowsill and several other features.
Last part of Schooner Isallt, 1909 to 1947
And it was Pat who told us that had originally been the water tank of the Schooner Isallt. This was an impressive 134 ton, three master built in 1909 for the Newfoundland fish trade. Owned and operated by the Cadogan family in
the 1920’s and 30’s she was purchased by the State in 1940 as a training vessel for the Marine Service. Returning to civilian use in 1946 the Isallt was wrecked off Wexford in 1947 with the loss of five lives.
But it seems that her water tank was first removed and continued life on Cape Clear Island. Before, auspiciously, finding her way back into the very home of her former owners. And that’s how is how a ship which sank in 1947 became part of a restored home on Cape Clear Island in 2025. For more see Isallt
