The Great Blasket Island Documentary | Walking Around Ireland - Day 28
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- The Great Blasket Island was evacuated in 1954 after being inhabited for centuries by a small but close-knit Irish speaking population who followed a traditional way of life involving farming, fishing, weaving. Although the population was close to 200 people at one time, this number diminished rapidly in the early 1900’s. It was due to decline and depopulation that the remaining twenty two islanders were forced to evacuate the island.
But why?
While some moved to cities on the mainland, in most instances, the young had emigrated to America.You see, it cost £6 to catch the ferry from Cobh to New York and the youth were terribly excited by the prospect of jobs, and a much more glamorous or less demanding way of life.
Interestingly, it was easier for islanders to travel to New York than Dublin and the Americas seemed closer at that time. Most often, the eldest female would go to work in Dingle or nearby cities and save up this £6 to pay for the boat. Once settled in America, they would work and send home the passage money to their siblings who could then follow in their footsteps.
In the end, the youth had left the Great Blasket and the remaining islanders were unable to sustain the harsh requirements of living in such a remote environment. After an emergency message was sent to the Taoiseach, Eamon de Valera gave the order to evacuate the remaining islanders.
It was a common theme in Ireland, emigration, and awfully sad for the Great Blasket. Unlike today, this youth would never have the opportunity to come home and they would also live on with the knowledge that their “home” and that incredibly primitive way of life, no longer existed.
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Sorry I am gutted as a glitch on TH-cam deleted the original video by mistake and it had 600 views in just two days :(
Watching Dec. 26 from Colorado USA, thanks for uploading it again. My ancestors are from County Cork. You said you wished we were there so we can see it...... you took me there and I saw it. I plan to make a trip to Ireland before too long, and I don't care to see the cities full of people and pubs the way most tourists do. I plan to visit the west coast of Ireland instead.
Oh my, what an amazing adventure it was to follow in your footsteps, Derek, as you wandered through the memories of a near forgotten place. There may never have ever been much on Great Blasket Island bar the haunting presence of generations that have gone before us...but for many that lived there having nothing was still easy to miss. It was home. I grew up on a small island off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada and can really appreciate the sense of place... and the people there having a sense of themselves being the center of the universe. The world revolved around them and, to some degree, there is truth in that. My island, like Blasket before it, is slowly dwindling as the youth graduate high school and leave for a better life. The aged are left to fend for themselves. It is just a matter of time, like hundreds of outport communities scattered around the coast of Newfoundland, my island will one day be a world of silent beauty...a place to remember and never a place to forget. Islanders are a special breed...yes we are! Thank you so much for sharing... and yes... I wish I were on Blasket Island to see exactly what you were seeing at that moment in time.
Fantastic video. The Blaskets and the Islanders way of life has always fascinated me since I read ‘The Islandman’ in school here in Wales
We visited Dingle and Dunquin a couple of years ago but the Atlantic was rough and the boats weren’t sailing
I will return soon as I want to pay my respects to Tomas in Dunquin and visit Great Blasket to pay my respects to a way of life lost forever
Pob dymuniad da o Gymru
Derek, what an amazing video, thank you. I visited the Sleeping Giant many years ago. Read just about every book written about the Island. Three of my grandparents were born on the Dingle Peninsula & I'm proud to say my roots are planted there. Many of the folks from the area settled in Springfield Massachusetts & trickled down to my home state of Connecticut. I was so honored to walk the Island & hope to return once again, PG. (Please God) The other video that brought tears to my eyes is The Last Islandman Returns. It's a beautiful video & the gentleman looks so much like my Uncle Harry the son of my grandmother who was born in Anascaul.
I have two nights booked on an Blascaod mór in July. I can't wait!
Well done, Derek. You caught much of the spirit of Maurice O'Sullivan's book in this respectful and thoughtful mini documentary.
That’s a great video with stunning views. You captured it well ! It gives those who have not been there a good idea of the isolation and landscape
Thankyou from Cornwall. God bless xx
Fantastic video, thanks 🙏 , it would be great if you could get out there again and do another video 👌🙏☘️🇮🇪
I really loved the video footage Derek sad that all the people have left it. My uncle told me that the island nearby was Inis Corp Padraig meaning St Patrick’s body. I’m
Going to go there someday. Thanks for sharing our home Ireland sad😢
As a reader of many books about the Blaskets and its inhabitants I can attest to the dire conditions the residents endured. Because of the conditions that were well known people from several countries such as Robin Flowers, George Thomson, et al wrote movingly about the people and the conditions they endured. But, also the care they had for each other. Some of the people relocated to America, got jobs and sent dollars home to bring others over the Atlantic.
Stunning video .
Amazing episode, mate. you can feel the place in your bones.
We came close to going here, but ran out of time and visited the beehive huts and forts by Dingle instead. You must have been a little boy then.
Thank you for this, it brings a tear to my eye.
Oh NO! It was so wonderful too! I just loved it! You did a good job of recapturing it!!
This was really well done. So many scenes of the landscape and weathers.Thank you.
🇬🇧😷🇬🇧 very interesting mr, D CULLEN But sad for me because I Love 💖 tree 🌲 s and I Love IRELAND 🇮🇪 you warm the cockles of my Heart ❣ Stay Safe ,🌹,
Well Derek Crap Happens but the lost just gives me a chance to watch your wonderful video again such a awesome job!!!!!!
Derek, I've been following your videos since you left Cape Town on your bike many years ago. You're an absolute inspiration my man!
Nice video. Thanks for sharing. At 6'592 it's a hare, not a rabbit. Hares are lovely majestic animals. Rabbits are also lovely, just not as majestic. :)
Fantastic documentary, beautifully put together. Well done.
Thanks Maurice, I appreciate the kind words!
The majesty of that land.
Derek, well done on reaching the Great Blasket. It is a stunning island and it looked like you had an amazing few days there exploring, relaxing and taking it all in. Loved your enthusiasm for the island way of life and how you could still picture that in your mind. Lovely stuff :-)
What a beautiful video. Thank you for the history and for your expressions of appreciation for the beauty and solitude. Lovely music, too.
On my bucket list. Wonderful video and a great narration. How can there be 2 thumbs down? No accounting for people sometimes.
Made the journey from glenamaddy to ballyferitter a couple of years ago intending to visit the blasket island but unfortunately the weather was against us and we couldn't cross but we will go again until we get there .. your video was one of the best ive seen on TH-cam in a long time brilliant work thanks...
STUNNING
Fantastic Documentary. Well done
Really well produced mate. So professional
Stunning footage. We'll done.
enjoying watching this, hopefully get to visit myself.
What a great video.....I would love to visit here....thanks for this
Hello Derek, long time no speak. No connected all the time up in the Pyrénées mountains. Need to download and catch-up but TH-cam quite a challenge. Have a fantastic November, I will certainly have one despite being locked down again. I least I can go for walks in the forests around me, wave and talk to the sheep and cows.
To the two people who gave this thumbs down .please seek help.you are lost.
Beautiful!
Unbelievable video and journey derek
this was beautiful video - thank you for posting - felt like i was there - what you called the dead man's island I have also heard referred to as the sleeping priest. :)
Well Sir you made it
Great
Where to next ??
Great spot👍🏼😎
what an amazing location.. definitely goes on the bucket list. did you have to ask permission to camp there? thank you for such a beautiful video!
Well done Derek!
Monks or the druids in hiding?
There was a castle here taken down to build a protestant soup kitchen a few years before the famine!
Peace
Sorry to hear you lost the original but this one is great too
Started Twenty Years A Growing.
Déanta maith. Go raibh maith agat.
No turf or bog on the island , they had to trade with the people on the mainland .
How did you manage for toilet while you camped out there? Serious question BTW, it is something we would love to do. Is there a public loo?
It's a Naomhóg not a Currach
Mise Eire
Was it not a haire ? Interesting