Siúlach Scéalach

Tom Lacey in Inishark Image Name: Tom Lacey in Inishark Description: Tom Lacey in Inishark Copyright: Proinsias Ó Conluain
Festy Lacey in Inishark Image Name: Festy Lacey in Inishark Description: Festy Lacey, son of Tom Lacey, with two of his children in Inishark Copyright: Proinsias Ó Conluain

Sa bhliain 1960 fógraíodh go raibh Oileán Inis Airc , oileán Gaeltachta in aice le hInis Bó Finne amach ó chósta na Gaillimhe, le bánú.  Chuaigh Proinsias Ó Conluain ó Radio Éireann ann le muintir an oileáin a thaifeadadh.  Chomh maith leis sin, scríobh sé mion-chuntas ar a bhfaca sé – bás oileáin, bás teanga agus uaigneas daoine a d’fhulaing go leor tubaistí farraige.  Scríobh sé: “Tom Lacey an fear is sine (73) ar Inis Airc.  É tugtha don mhachnamh (na mic a cailleadh ar an fharraige go mór mhór).  Cainteoir maith Béarla – níl sé chomh líofa sa Ghaeilge.  Beag duine nár chaill duine muinteartha ar an fharraige”.  Tá cuntas Phroinsias Uí Chonluain chomh tábhachtach leis na taifeadtaí a rinne sé, agus beidh sé á léamh ag Brian Mullen dúinn ar an chlár seo inniu. Láithriú: Ian Lee.

In 1960 the Gaeltacht island of Inishark near Inishbofin off the coast of Galway was evacuated.  Proinsias Ó Conluain from Radio Éireann travelled there to record the few remaining islanders and he described in detail in his diary what he observed of a dying island and language, a people sad and upset at having to leave.  He wrote: “Tom Lacey (73) is the oldest person on the island.  He was inclined to contemplation (particularly his two sons who had been drowned). He was a good speaker of English – not so fluent in Irish.  Nearly all the islanders had lost relatives at sea”.  Proinsias Ó Conluain’s decriptions and observations are as important as the recordings he made and they’ll be read for us today on the programme by Brian Mullen.  Presented by Ian Lee.