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A NEW RADIO documentary airing tomorrow morning will explore the evacuation of Ireland’s islands through personal stories.
From production collaboration Bureau, the 46-minute documentary focuses on three small islands near Donegal, says co-producer Shaun O’Boyle, whose Father hailed from Rutland Island in northwest Donegal.
“We try to focus on people’s voices you don’t usually hear, to people literally on the margins” says O’Boyle, who along with collaborator Maurice Kelliher gathered first-hand testimony from islanders on Rutland, Inishfree and Arranmore, three of whom feature in the documentary.
Examining life before, and after, the evacuations and depopulation of offshore islands, the show features contributions from historian Diarmaid Ferriter.
While once populated and thriving, the island of Rutland is now deserted. Inishfree, though still inhabited, has seen significant population decline since the 1950s.
In the mid-century the full-scale evacuation of Ireland’s offshore islands begins and the consequences of long-term depopulation become apparent.
In one section, historian Ferriter discusses State documents which reference Rutland Island in the 1940s “not having a post office, not having a shop, not having a priest.”
“You gradually see how the islands, which at one point had all of these things, are losing these pillars of sustainable community life one by one.”
The pub goes, the post office goes, the school goes, the priest goes, the people go.
‘Good timing’
Exploring island culture and identity, ‘Leaving the Island’ examines the factors which played a part in subsequent population decline and evacuations of Ireland’s offhsore islands – including emigration, economic conditions, modernisation.
Bureau’s documentary also discusses the politics and strategic policies – or lack thereof – of the Irish state regarding Ireland’s islands and their standing in the national infrastructure, says O’Boyle who, along with co-producer Kelliher, has made numerous podcasts and audio stories for BBC4 and Dublin’s Science Gallery.
It was “good timing”, says O’Boyle, that historian Ferriter wrote his book about Ireland’s island – ‘On the Edge’ – last year, around the same that O’Boyle and Kelliher were planning their radio documentary.
In addition to firsthand testimony of island life “we’re lucky that we have that robust historical perspective,” says O’Boyle.
Ferriter has spoken about how Ireland’s islands are symbolic of the larger national narratives like emigration. ’Leaving the Island’, he adds, holds up a mirror to that broader national Irish experience. “‘Having to leave our home’ was an experience common to both mainlanders and islanders.”
‘Leaving the Island’ airs on Newstalk at 7am Sunday and is repeated on Saturday 16 February at 9pm.
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Great
Fantastic. Fish breeding is the highest accolade a tank can get. They’re such interesting fish, the rays. Once you visit the touch tank at Salthill aquarium and watch as they swim up to you to be touched, and look at you with such seeming intelligence, you’ll never order them in the chipper again.
@John O’Driscoll: I fish for Ray but once you see their sad face when you catch them, there’s no way you could eat them.
Hardly the first stingray to be born in Ireland. Certainly the first to be born in captivity. Sure there’s hundreds if not thousands of stingray in Tralee Bay alone. We’ll be fishing for them in Tag a Ray in Tralee Bay on 13th and 14th of may. Strictly catch and release after tagging.
Barbless hooks I assume. Excellent way to combine the sport with public and scientific service. Tight lines.
@John O’Driscoll: it is actually a combined sport fishing/ecological combination. We only tag stingray and undulate ray. Two very different types of Ray each with its own unique qualities and mysteries. If you are interested just check out Tag a Ray in Tralee Bay on Facebook.
@John Brendan Mullen: this one too: https://fishinginireland.info/news/sea-reports/tag-a-ray-weekend-on-tralee-bay/
- “The baby, which was born four weeks ago, has yet to be named”
How about Stevie Irwin?
ba dum tss… :(
@Mick Tobin: The sense of humour of a garden shed…
Tch. Brave indeed reckless but no doubt action-man who brought much joy and awareness to millions. Deserves something more appropriate named after him. The next Corvette Stingray perhaps. Steve Irwin edition. Put the aerial in the middle of the bonnet.
I’m just as bad and I disliked his comment on the app before making it even worse adding mine. No filter sometimes. No offence to Steve’s memory RIP nor his family. Be nice if you could delete comments sometimes. Brain in neutral mouth in fifth as my dad would sometimes observe
@John O’Driscoll: Fair enough, admission of guilt. I love Steve Irwin and everything he’s done. Trouble is, I’m in a band with a comedian. Perhaps wise to stick to the cello playing and leave the gags to him. Although he’s even worse at times.
Mmmmmmm ray and chips. Soaked in vinegar. I’m starving.
Samantha, or ‘Manta’ for short
Happy looking lol.
She can get an Irish passport
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