The Days of the MV Naomh Éanna

A very sad day indeed.

Photos from Naomh Eanna Trust's post

New year and new beginnings... Sadly after a few recent events and with certain disappointments in mind, I have decided the time has finally come for me to retire from my volunteering work in running the Naomh Eanna Trust Facebook page. As some of you may remember I also made this decision early last year, but as the type of person I am, I decided to give freely another year of my time to their cause. After 3 years now I feel that I have personally given it all I can to help the Naomh Eanna Trust. So I would just like to take this moment to thank you for all your support since I took over their Facebook page in Feb 2014 and for all the photos, memories, kind words and friendship you have given me in that time, I would also like to wish good luck to all the other groups who show an interest in restoring the Naomh Eanna ship, for example Sam Corbett and the SOS save our ship group. There would be no one happier than me if restoring the old ship somehow does becomes reality, but sadly I have not received any type of news from anyone at all for some time now and I am as much in the dark as any of you, if that can, or will happen in the future. Now, I've had a number of friends who have said it would be a crying shame to end some of our friendships and for the memories to end and I somewhat agree. So for the moment at least, I have decideded to start up my own personal Facebook page called The days of the Naomh Eanna. So if you are interested, you are more than welcome to come along and be part of that page. I'm still playing with the name but the idea of my page will continue along the same lines of what I have done here over the last few years. Sharing my memories and yours with some (hopefully) interesting slices of history about the Aran Islands, Connemara and County Galway and a few about Dublin, who also has a strong link with the ship and have been very supportive towards me during the last few years. Another emphasis of mine for this new page will be sharing and supporting Galway's very rich maritime history and heritage. Hopefully this year I may get to some of the Galway Hooker regattas out in Connemara to meet some of the friends I have made with the crews over the last few years. I am also interesting in supporting local artists, which again County Galway has in abundance of and a rich and beautiful history. Art has always been something close to my heart and maybe with me gaining back some free time with this decision, I may even myself find the time to start painting again and be able to add a few of my own paintings one day soon. There are a few other plans for the future which could be exciting news but I will see how the new page goes and how you enjoy it before I make any decision on pushing these plans further. Although I won't be able to put in the same amount of time in making as many regular posts as I have here for the Naomh Eanna Trust over the years, I do intend, if I can, to run this page better, Introduce some new things, think of ways in making certain photos and posts easier to find through regions and interest when visiting the page and start up a proper webpage (we can see how it goes). Basically I am all ears of places and things you would like to see more of, so please feel free to give me any input. My page as I intended this one to be is for you the people more than anything else and to support these unique and special communities of the west of Ireland. Thank you for your time and hopefully the new things will lead to a brighter future and something even better. Best wishes, Mark and for anyone interested a link to my new page: https://www.facebook.com/The-Days-of-the-MV-Naomh-Éanna-813295672142341/

Songs of Aran: Gaelic Singing from the West of Ireland (1957, RARE!)

A very rare recording made in 1957 on Inis Mór, Aran islands featuring Maggie Dirrane and her son John Dirrane from Onaght and Padraic Wallace from the neighbouring village Sruthan. All sadly and greatly missed. Also featured on the recording are Kate Faherty, Peg Flaherty, Bridget Mullin and Miles Joyce. Songs Of Aran, Gaelic Singing From The West Of Ireland recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell. This 1957 field recording, Songs of Aran, documents some of the vocal traditions of the Aran Islands, located off of the west coast of Ireland. Sung for the most part in Irish Gaelic, these songs bring to life the barren and sparsely populated islands of Inishmore, Inisheer, and Inishmaan. Included are lullabies, songs to accompany spinning, and two Irish "Caoines," traditional expressions of grief characterized by wailing or crying. Extensive and affectionate liner notes paint a portrait of the island' cultural history, the people, and the music. Among the performers are Margaret Dirrane, one of the lead characters in the noted 1934 film Man of Aran, and her son Sean. Song list: Lilting Beidh ril againn Maire Stanton A song in praise of Captain George O'Malley Amhran na Tragha Baine 'Twas early, early in the Spring Oro mhile gradh An cailin fearamhail fionn Sagart na Cuile Baine A Sheain a mhic mo chomharsan An droighnean donn Ma theann tu'un a aonaigh Peigi Misteal Bean a'leanna Amhran an tei An tuirnin lin Do-een do a-diddle Three lullabies. Thobha mo leanbh ; Seo-thin sea ; Seo-sin seo, 's tu mo leanbh Caoineadh na marbh.

Timeline Photos

First sunrise of 2017 over the Claddagh this morning. Photo taken by and with thanks to Cathy Gill.

Timeline Photos

Bliain nua faoi mhaise daoibh. I wish you all a wonderful New Year. I hope your 2017 will be filled with much peace, good health and happiness <3 ______________ Home is where the heart is. The village of Onaght, Inis Mór (Inishmore), Aran Islands. c.1965. © Photo taken by and with thanks to Bengt Ason Holm and his wife Ulla during their Honeymoon in 1965.

The stunning beauty and music of Aran island, Ireland - Ceol na nOileán - TG4 2009

Some music and dance for the final day of the year and to bright and new beginnings next year. Up the West. Hup!

Naomh Eanna Trust

Inis Meáin

Photos from Naomh Eanna Trust's post

Photos from a disappearing world: Inis Meáin, August 1942. by Fin Dwyer Inis Meáin, Aran Islands, August 1942. When the playright John Millington Synge visited the island of Inis Meáin his first impression was far from flattering. He described the island which forms one of the three Aran Islands as a “place was hardly fit for habitation” and in a reference to the barren landscape he said “there was no green to be seen”. In spite of this Synge would spend weeks there learning Irish while also cataloguing islanders lives’ in what became a famous book “Connemara and the Aran Islands”. This island life mesmerised Synge in its simpicity and uniqueness. Even in 1898 life on Inis Meáin harked back to a past that had disappeared elsewhere. Remarkably forty years later when my grandfather Eamonn Mac Coisdealbha visited Inis Meáin to practice his Irish he found life there very much the same. He documented Island life through a series of photographs taken in August 1942, recording a society that would vanish in the course of the 20th century. Inis Meáin in 1898 and indeed in 1942 was seriously underdeveloped. Life was difficult but this at the same time preserved aspects of a life that had long been dissappeared elsewhere.When my grandfather visited Inis Meáin 40 years after Synge with a camera its clear from his photgraphs he found a society that had changed very little. In his photographs he captured island life just as it was about to come to an end – within another 40 years much of what Synge wrote about and my grandfather photographed had disappeared. The owner of the photos and this blog has asked if anyone can help with naming any of the people in the photos. If any of you can please do leave a message or contact him direct. It would be nice if we could help put names to faces. Photos copyright and story with thanks to http://irishhistorypodcast.ie do visit their web page for more interesting stories or like their facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/irishhistorypodcast

Timeline Photos

Poem: Cuireadh do Mhuire / An Invitation to Mary. Máirtín Ó Direáin (1910 – 1988), the great poet from the village of Sruthán on Inis Mór (Inishmore), Aran Islands, wrote the poem ‘Cuireadh do Mhuire’ at Christmas in 1942. Photo: Madonna, Inis Meáin Inishmaan), Aran Islands by Josef Tornick. Cuireadh do Mhuire An eol duit, a Mhuire, Cá rachair i mbliana Ag iarraidh foscaidh Dod leanbh Naofa, Tráth bhfuil gach doras Dúnta ina éadan Ag fuath is uabhar An chine daonna? Deonaigh glacadh Le cuireadh uaimse Go hoileán mara San iarthar chianda: Beidh coinnle geala I ngach fuinneoig lasta Is tine mhóna Ar theallach adhanta. ------------------------------------------------ English translation: An Invitation to Mary Do you know, O Mary, Where you will go this year To look for shelter For your Holy Infant, At a time when every door Is shut in his face By the hate and the pride Of human kind? Be pleased to accept An invitation from me To an island in the sea Far away in the west: There will be bright candles Lighting in every window And a turf fire Blazing in the hearth. © Photo with many thanks and copyright to Josef Tornick. Follow Josef Tornick on http://josefskye.tumblr.com/ or contact: joseftornick@me.com

Galway Hooker Clíona To Cross Atlantic

Hundreds of locals including some veteran boatmen, gathered on Sruthán Pier in An Cheathrú Rua in County Galway, to wish the Galway hooker Clíona well as she embarked upon her non-stop journey to New York. June 1986.

Timeline Photos

Galway Hookers Berthed at Sruthan Pier, Carraroe, Co. Galway by Ivan Sutton (Irish, born 1944) _______ About the artist Ivan Sutton (born 1944) Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland and is a full member of Visual Artists Ireland. He paints with brush or palette knife encompassing a simple technique, to give the viewer a blend of tone, mood and colour with a balance of representative and semi-abstract paintings. Ivan Sutton likes to paint boats, harbour scenes, people in art galleries, still life and musicians at work. His Art Book “Sutton at Sixty”, 120 page hardback, is available from most good bookshops. Ivan’s works are currently in private collections in Canada, USA, Belgium, France, UK and throughout Ireland. Several large Irish companies possess his works as well as the Irish Government. Ivan creates an image in a relaxed manner which will be a reference in time to come.