Abroad: Where masterpieces were created

UC students James, Sarah Beth, and Heather, all safe with life vests, braved the voyage to the Great Blasket Island, above. Peig Sayer’s house is the left of the two white houses in the background. Below, right, is a view from the coastline of Great Blasket Island, looking toward the mainland, and below, left, is a closeup of Peig's house. (Photos by Pamela Reynolds)

Visiting Ireland's vanishing island heritage

By Pamela Reynolds

Aug. 17, Dingle -- A grizzled man in a yellow slicker handed my classmate a life vest and looked at me with piercing blue eyes. "Tha's the last one I got," he said with a perfectly straight face. "You jus hang onta him."

The look on my face must have mirrored my mixed horror and confusion, for the skipper began laughing uproariously and assured me that he'd find me one. I watched as five of my classmates piled into a small rubber dinghy tied to the pier. None too gracefully, I half fell in next to them and clung tightly to the safety rope.

"You from California?" The skipper asked. After seeing us nod, he asked "So, you real California girls?" We assured him that we were, not quite sure what being a "real" California girl meant.

A Beach Boys fan

Then, steering the dinghy with one hand and holding himself up with the other, he began to sing   "Wish we all could be California girls." Or at least that's what I think he was trying to sing. By the time he finished his rendition of the Beach Boys, we arrived at the Deep Star, the boat that would take us to the Great Blasket Island, home of Peig Sayers.

The Great Blasket Island, or AnBlascaod Mór in Irish, is only 5 kilometers away from the mainland. Only 5.2 kilometers long and 1 kilometer wide, the Great Blasket Island was inhabited by 200 people during World War II. One of the westernmost of Ireland's inhabited islands, the residents depended upon the sea for their livelihood. Most of the island's fishermen pursued mackerel and lobster.

Irish writer dictated her story

Peig Sayers, one of the authors we are studying, lived on the island after her marriage to an island man. Sayers is one of the three most renowned Blasket writers and possessed a more traditional world view, incorporating traditional tales into her stories. She dictated the story of her life, which was later translated from Irish into English.

Sayers would have most likely asserted that she was happiest on the Blasket Island. Island life offered an intimate and supportive community, surrounded by harsh and beautiful vistas.

'Tis slippy

When we arrived on the island, a little wetter but no worse for wear after another trip in the dinghy, I was immediately struck by the island's rugged beauty. After climbing up the algae covered boat ramp, with the skipper's cautionary "Watch it, 'tis slippy" ringing in my ears, we reached the remains of the village where Peig lived and raised her six children that lived. All of them emigrated to America.

The island was abandoned in 1953 when only 20 people lived on the island. Sayers' house is now a hostel and the boat ramp once used by fisherman now helps tourists access this remote island.

Best-kept secret

One of Ireland's best-kept secrets, the Great Blasket island is a beautiful example of Ireland's vanishing heritage.

Standing in front of Sayers' old house, I gaze back at the mainland. The sweeping expanse of the ocean blends with the lush greenness of the island. The silence of the island is interrupted by the chirping of sparrows as they flit in and out of collapsed doorways, the braying of the small herd of donkeys dozing behind Sayers' house, and the muffled bleating of sheep grazing on the cliff edges. The only humans on the island now are tourists and temporary, volunteer residents camping in the ruined houses.