![]() ![]() In other words, life on the island was enjoyable but often seemed far less exciting next to the fancy clothing, delightful food and bright lights of New York, Boston and Chicago. Most young adults on the island had heard about this land of opportunity and day-dreamed of the riches that might transform their lives. Well, America seemed like a very exciting place to live. But why was the pull of America so strong for the young locals? Similarly, the prospect of carrying out repairs, digging peat and sourcing food was a little too much for an aging population. More specifically, most of the youth on the island had emigrated to America and those who remained were unable to cope with the harsh demands of life on the island.įor instance, in times of emergency, there were not enough able-bodied people to row to the mainland. In case you might be asking yourself, the Great Blasket was abandoned in 1954 when the population went into serious decline. Photo: Derek Cullen Abandonment and the Seductive Lure of America And if that’s not enough, the village offers a unique insight into a way of life that we will never see again. ![]() In fact, the locals only spoke in Gaelic (Irish language) but these books were translated and now used as part of the modern school curriculum in Ireland.Īside from the above, there is also a surprising variety of wildlife on the Great Blasket with hares and puffins gracing the hills, and seals, whale sharks and dolphins in the surrounding waters.Īnyway, the point is, this island holds a lot of historical and cultural significance for Ireland. That is to say, many famous writers and poets came from the island which became known as a birthplace for musical and storytelling genius. However, the Great Blasket Island is most famous for the literary heritage left behind by the natives. What’s more, visitors can walk freely among and within these buildings, while imagining the old ways and traditions on the island. While these buildings are now derelict, the rubble stone walls, square-headed sills and enchanting doorways are still visible to this day. You will find an upper and lower village on the island with a school, post office and community hall in between. Photo: Derek Cullen About Life on the Great Blasket Island I also hoped to discover what it might have felt like to live on the most westerly landmass in Europe and experience a lifestyle that was immensely different to life on the mainland today.īut you’ve got to go back many decades to really understand the magical appeal of the island…ĭerek Cullen on the Great Blasket Island. ![]() With this in mind, I wanted to stay on the Great Blasket Island and imagine a time that we will never see again. ![]() In many ways, this is also a case study and microcosm of emigration from Ireland and why the Irish diaspora is so large in America in particular. It has no Wi-Fi, warm showers or electricity, but this tiny island off the coast of County Kerry is incredibly important to the history and culture of Ireland. However, after a ten-minute jog to the harbour in Dunquin, I was welcomed on board – the result of a last minute cancellation.īut why was I so obsessed with staying overnight on the Great Blasket Island? My trip to the Great Blasket Island was hinging on the availability of a small boat, and I was now unable to contact the owner. Together with settings of Oíche Nollag, a poem written by the great Máire Mac an tSaoi (only very recently deceased) and Cuireadh do Mhuire by Mairtín Ó Díreáin, a voyage of discovery, or perhaps re-discovery, awaits the listener.I was frustrated when the Wi-Fi died. Other tracks, like Dia do bheatha, were preserved in various seventeeth-century manuscripts, before Angela’s researches in the Royal Irish Academy prompted her to breathe new life into them. In the impeccably-researched and illustrated booklet, with original translations into English by Gabriel Rosenstock, we learn that Fáilte an Linbh Íosa was a favourite Christmas song of Peig Sayers, captured for posterity in a crackly field recording made on the Great Blasket in the last century, before being given a stunning new treatment on the album. There are beautiful renderings of favourites such as Oiche Chiúin (Silent Night) and Oíche Bheannaithe (O Holy Night) but most tracks are drawn from that deep well of Irish poetry and music that performers neglect at their peril. ![]()
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