Remember in 2020 when we visited Dunquin and Peig Sayers Grave?
I have been wanting to visit the Great Blasket Isles for a while and I have started reading books about the people who lived there up until the nineteen fifties.
I found this book for free on Kindle last week:
It's the pragmatic stoicism which resonates to me. I live on the Atlantic seaboard and one thing I do not like is Gale Season.
The islanders survived many storms, famine, a delining fish industry and the unemployment that goes with it.
They would row to the mainland to go to church and many a time the island would be cut off from supplies for days and weeks.
There are stories of women crashing boulders down on to bailiffs and believing that God often sent shipwrecks in order for them to survive. Cargoes of wheat kept them alive.
During WW1 a British Naval Frigate was spotted landing on the island and women folk hid the young men so they wouldn't be enlisted for conscription. It transpired later that they had only landed to get a supply of clean water.
It is my intention this summer to visit the Blaskets Islands. I am going to read some more books because I find these remarkable people fascinating.
Could you live on an island and survive by what ever you could catch to eat and farm and grow whatever crops you could?
Remarkable people.
It sounds like a very hard life. Not many these days would be able, or prepared to live like that.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing all about it when you visit.
They were remarkable people JayCee. I am looking forward to the trip and I am starting another book about them this week. Thanks.
DeleteYou might be interested in watching this RTE documentary by Muiris Mac Conghail, https://youtu.be/DM166JoI-Us
ReplyDeleteI was at the launch in 1984 as Muiris was married to a cousin of my mother in law at the time, great music and great food on the day, endless stories.
Marvellous link Sabine. Sounds like a great day had by all. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteInteresting. Fancy rowing over to mainland to attend church. The life must have been hard being totally cut off sometimes. It looks very idyllic scenery though. I hope you get your visit. Thanks Dave.
ReplyDeleteMighty people Rachel. I love that area especially Dingle and the Slea Head.
DeleteI hope that you make it to The Blasket Islands this summer Dave. I am rather envious of your plan. It is the kind of adventure that grips my imagination. For example, I would love to visit St Kilda - far west of The Outer Hebrides. As I am sure you already know, there are six major islands in the Blasket group. I guess you'll be going to Great Blasket Island. Wonderful prospect.
ReplyDeleteThanks YP. Yes Great Blasket Island is the place I want to visit. I have just ordered Peig Sayers book in English and I am just starting another book about the island. St Kilda sounds like a cunning plan and if I was you I would be making plans.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder if I would enjoy that sort of life, but in reality I think not. Two weeks max.
ReplyDeleteHi Tom. I think if there was a pub and somewhere to buy food a break on the island would do me fine. I find living in the countryside next to the sea isolating at times. I think it's where you are born that you are use to the environment. It's like church mouse and city mouse of even Blasket Isle mouse.
ReplyDeleteYou'd have to be born there and brought up to that way of life to survive. It reminds me of some islanders here. The women from the generation that is now disappearing were tough old biddies. Our next door neighbour is one of them. 85 years old, out in the sun pulling weeds and looking after the animals. Smokes and drinks with the best.
ReplyDeleteThe next generation is not interested in that way of life. It would be a very interesting book to read!
You know more about living on a island than anybody Linda. Your next door neighbour sounds a real character and I am sure they can tell lots of stories. The book is a good read and best of all it's free. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI could live on a remote island as far as little contact with people went, but I don't think I'd be physically up to providing for myself totally. I'd need a shop and a postal service!
ReplyDeleteYou sound like you don't suffer from rural isolation Veg Artist. It must have been difficult catching rabbits, eating seals and birds and fish and mutton. I think I would prefer to live on the mainland in the countryside. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThere are many islands near where we live in West Wales - Skokholm is especially small and remote but was lived on by R M Loxley who wrote Letters from Skokholm (republished by Little Toller)
ReplyDeleteHi Mark. I will Google RM Loxley and Skokholm. Thanks for telling us about them.
ReplyDeleteI think that needs must. We all are capable of self sufficiency. It's just that most people see it as unnecessary. We are not self sufficient, but we are self reliant, and everything that we do for ourselves makes us feel that we are capable of withstanding whatever difficulties arise.
ReplyDeleteNeeds must is very accurate Debby. I can say a lot of good things for living in the countryside and also the negatives like rural isolation, lack of job opportunities, none or very poor public transport and facilities and amenities. It's good to acquire self reliant skills.
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