The Blasket Islands

2003 - The white washed dwelling was once the home of the famous Tomás Ó Criomhthain (1855-1937), a native Irish speaker and writer.  His two Irish language books, Ireland Cross-Talk (published in 1928) and The Island Man (published in 1929) were both later translated into English.  He has become known as The Godfather of Blasket Island writers.  He once said, the likes of us will never be seen again, meaning that he was aware that the islanders' way of life would die out.  Little did he know that the islanders would be evacuated to the mainland in the 1940s and 1950s, 

He and his wife Máire Ní Chatháin had ten children but many died before reaching adulthood: one boy fell from a cliff while hunting for a fledgling gull to keep as a pet among the chickens; others died of measles and whooping cough; their son Domhnall drowned while attempting to save a woman from the sea; others died by various other means. Máire herself died while still relatively young.  (Wikipedia)

For anyone interested in the history of these islands, the writings of Peig Sayers and Tomás Ó Criomhthain are essential readings.  The hardships the islanders endured and their tragedies make them difficult reading at times.

120mm Colour Negative