A Glimpse of a Vanishing Culture
Lake View Living, October 31 1993 

Three miles off the coast of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, the Blasket Islands lie velvety green and deceptively tranquil to the untrained eye. During the summer, boatloads of sightseers cross these waters regularly to visit the now sparsely populated Great Blasket Island, one of the four islands that for centuries was home to a unique people.

But come October, the islands are empty and few boats dare traverse these rocky, unpredictable waters.

Today, hardly a tour package in Ireland doesn't include either the Ring of Kerry or Slea Head Drive, a 45-mile drive around the Dingle Peninsula. Beginning in Dingle and driving west towards the islands, miles of coastline provide some of the most spectacular views on the West Coast of Ireland. To the left, rocky cliffs overlook strands of white beach that give way to jagged rocks beaten by foamy waves. Along the road the sandy grassland and yellow flowering ragwort give way to gently rounded green farmlands, sloping upward until the sheep blend in with the stony mountainside.

Slea Head provided the picturesque backdrop for "Ryan's Daughter" while "Playboy of the Western World" was filmed farther into the bay on Inch Strand.

But pictures can be deceiving. While tourists are attracted to Kerry because of its wild beauty and dramatic landscape, the islanders and native inhabitants have a much less romantic view. The crashing waves and jagged rocks are not admired for their powerful beauty, but for their strength alone. The land and sea were neither conquered nor passively viewed, but respected and learned.

The Heritage Centre at the harbor town of Dunquin captures a glimpse of their lifestyles, as well as the history of nearby towns. Here you can learn about the pre-Christian community, the coastal villages wiped out by the Great Hunger, and the numerous bloody battles fought against the English. Stories of native resistance to colonialism are impressive. On the islands, women banded together and pelted rocks at the rent collectors, while in the harbor towns residents boycotted the English sale of goods confiscated in lieu of tent.

Although the islands have been vacant since 1953, the spirits of its inhabitants can be seen in the eyes of old men and women who linger on the rocks on a fine day. Listen closely enough in a pub and you'll hear their stories mingled with words from their native tongue.

As most travel brochures will tell you, the Dingle Peninsula is not to be missed. But make your visit more than a snapshot memory. Look beyond the picture perfect beauty and respect who and what you see, as well as what you don't.