After three years back at Cambridge he retired and moved to an isolated cottage on the west coast of Ireland. His health deteriorated and in 1949 cancer was diagnosed. Wittgenstein did not seem unhappy at the diagnosis since he said that he did not wish to live any longer.
Matapos ang tatlong taon sa Cambridge siya nagretiro at inilipat sa isang ilang kubo sa kanluran sa baybayin ng Ireland. Deteryorado kanyang kalusugan at sa 1949 ay na-diagnosed na kanser. Wittgenstein hindi mukhang malungkot dahil diagnosis at ang sinabi niya na siya ay hindi nagnanais na manirahan na.