Profile information
Host rating
80 %
Last replied
2 Jul 2025
Reply rate
71.1 %
Usually responds within 8 days
Feedback
12
Email verified
Host offers payment
Badges (3)
Details
Description
My wife Sarahjane and I run a little coffee shop in Goleen and catering van in Crookhaven both in scenic West Cork.
Every summer we are busy with lots of visitors- who come to visit Mizen head or enjoy Barleycove beach.
Mizen head is located at the very tip of the Mizen Peninsula and has a great visitor centre and amazing views.
Barleycove beach is one of the best beaches in Ireland and is packed every summer by both families and surfers ( there is a surf school )
The whole area is known for its beauty and beaches., there's surfing, paddle boarding, fishing, tennis, cycling and hiking. But also West Cork is a great place to take time out and relax!
We offer accommodation and pay the legal minimum wage for Ireland.
We also like to make sure that all workawayers have their work permits (if required) and insurance in place, we will register the workawayers as employees and arrange any taxes that may need to be paid.
These measures are there to ensure that both we and workawayers have the security of knowing everything is legal and above board, so the workaway experience can be enjoyed and fulfilled to the maximum.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Language practice
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Workawayers will get plenty time/opportunity to enjoy the beauty of West Cork, while mixing with locals during and outside work,and at the same time practising their English.
They will also be a part of our extended family during the summer ,as we also have workawayers helping us with our two boys at home and we like to have family ,workawayers and friends all interacting with each other both at work and socially.Host offers payment in line with the minimum wage
This host offers accommodation and payment.
Help
We require help either working directly with customers in our coffee shop
(barista,waitress/waiter) ,or behind the scenes baking, food prep general kitchen work.
Or if a person would prefer to have the day to themselves to enjoy the beach,surf or scenery- they could help out in the van in the evenings before enjoying the night scene of Crookhaven/Goleen which is vibrant during the summer.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Sharing an apartment or house, the house is located in Goleen village.
Workawayers will generally cook for themselves, but will have lunch in the coffee shop and we encourage all workawayers to try when possible to get together for dinner with our family at home.
What else ...
Workawayers are free to do as they wish on their time off, we have bicycles they can use or there is a free local minibus which travels to the nearest towns Schull,Skibbereen and Bantry.
There is also a regular bus service to Cork.
Me and my wife Sarah Jane are always a available for help,advise or information to our workawayers. Sarah Jane herself worked as an au pair when she was younger and fully understands what it's like to be away from home and indeed we have had many workawayers over the years who have kept in touch or came back to visit.
While looking for paid help for our business, we are also very aware that it's also a cultural visit and we do our best to make it as worthwhile as possible to our visitors.
We are willing to interact the workawayers as much as possible with our family and social life
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
My animals / pets
Feedback (7)
Marco is a really nice guy, gets on well with everybody and is helpful to fellow workawayers.
Marco has a good work ethic , is very reliable and is willing to take on whatever is put in front of him.
I would 100% recommend Marco to any host.
Thanks for your help Marco and best of luck in your next adventure
My stay at Colin's was such a nice experience! Goleen and surroundings are very quite so you can get a good balance between working in the chipper, with Colin and other workawayers, and relaxing going to the beach in Barleycove or to the southest village in… read more
Thank you so much Colin !!!
Welbert joined us this summer and instantly became part of the family, though his English was very basic on arrival he was always willing to communicate and help in whatever he could.
Welbert stayed in our family home and was a great help with chores around the house, catering van,doing activities with our boys and generally was… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.9)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.9)
Marco is a really nice guy, gets on well with everybody and is helpful to fellow workawayers.
Marco has a good work ethic , is very reliable and is willing to take on whatever is put in front of him.
I would 100% recommend Marco to any host.
Thanks for your help Marco and best of luck in your next adventure
My stay at Colin's was such a nice experience! Goleen and surroundings are very quite so you can get a good balance between working in the chipper, with Colin and other workawayers, and relaxing going to the beach in Barleycove or to the southest village in… read more
Thank you so much Colin !!!
Welbert joined us this summer and instantly became part of the family, though his English was very basic on arrival he was always willing to communicate and help in whatever he could.
Welbert stayed in our family home and was a great help with chores around the house, catering van,doing activities with our boys and generally was… read more
she had good time keeping, was willing to learn and interacted with the other staff very well.
Overall we would recommend Gaja with total confidence and wish her well with everything she does going forward …..
I worked with Sarahjane at the coffee shop and it was very nice and fun. She was very helpful and explained everything very well, so I didn't have any problems during work. The other people working at the coffee were friendly as well!
Overall, my stay there was very enjoyable… read more
The accomodation was very good with everything you need. The area was gorgeous and the locals very kind, and we made good friends in the shared house (other workawayers).
We won't forget the experience in here. We really recommend it!!!
Once again it was a pleasure to be with them and we… read more
She was ever smiling, helpful and always willing to help in any way she could.
Carole was always open to learning new skills and was very good with interacting with everyone she met.
We would recommend Carole to everyone and would welcome her back with open arms!
Always happy,always willing to help and nothing is ever a problem for Tomàs.
Best of luck with your travels my friend
