CaptureTheFree: Documentary

Before It Disappears; The Gaeltacht of West Ireland and its People

IRELAND is in the grips of change now more than ever. The Gaeltacht area in the West of Ireland is one of the few areas of ‘old Ireland’ left, and I fear that amidst all the political and economic strife we will blink and miss it.

The intention of this photojournalism project was to portray the way of life in these rural areas, capturing the most important aspects in the widest scope I could manage with approx. 120 images. I felt a documentary photo story was the best way to present the everyday aspects of life in Gaeltacht in a visual manner.

The focus was on the villages of Leitir Mor and Leitir Meallain, with the inclusion of Maigh Cuillin, Spiddeal and Carna, all in the Gaeltacht region in the West of Galway.

Another choice I had for the title of this thesis was “The People Behind the Language”. Rural areas such as Leitir Mealláin in Connemara have managed to retain the village community in a way unlike many others, with language being a huge factor. A different language being used everyday by a small percent of the population is getting more and more unusual in this modern age.

Having worked in the Gealtacht for many summers when I was younger I have experienced the reality of the day to day life. I have met the priest, the bar man, the bean an ti, the teenager, the fisherman, and I wanted to capture their way of life before it disappears.

Taking a long range view, I think it is really important to capture the Gealtacht now, before the way of life starts to fade. As the economy started to fail, the rural areas were among the first to be hit. While a post office closing in a city may not be noticed, one closing in a village in Connemara can be devastating.

Daily struggles in these areas are enhanced by low Government funding and a faltering tourism sector, leaving it an area overlooked by many in this country. I feel these communities need to be captured, before they disappear, before they are rebuilt to suit our economy and tradition is left behind.

Right: The sun sets on rural Carna in the Gaeltacht of West Galway

Ar dheis: Luí na gréine i gCarna i nGaeltacht iarthar na Gaillimhe.

Left: Two Connemara ponies stand in their rocky field in

Lettermullen.

Ar cle: Seasann beirt chapall ina bpáirc creageach í Leitir Mealláin.

Bridge To An End

Droichead Chun

Deireadh

Four main bridges lead the way out to the islands in the Gaeltacht area of the West of Ireland.

Soláthraíonn ceithre droichid bealach amach go dtí oileáin na Gaeltachta in Iarthar

na Tíre

Left:Droichead Bhéal an Daingin Right: Second part of Droichead Bhéal an Daingín

Left: Droichead Charraig an Lugáin

Right: Droichead Chuigéal

The Scope of the Land

Raon Feidhme Na Talún

Right: The sun sets on the

water at Ros A Mhíl harbour

Ar dheis: Leagann an ghrian ar an uisce i gcuan Ros a Mhíl.

Above: End of the road in Leitir Meallain

Thuas: Deireadh an bothar i Leitir Meallain

History and Heritage

Stair Agus Oidhreacht

Above: An old knitting factory stands in ruins beside the Cuidéal bridge in

Lettermullen. They used to knit socks for the army in the 1940’s. It was burnt down in a fire and was never rebuilt.

Thuas: Seasann sean-mhonarchan cniotála i bhfothracha in aice an droichid Chuigéil i Leitir Mealláin. Chruthaítí stocaí i gcomhair an airm sna 1940í. Chuaigh an monarchan tré thine agus níor tógadh arís é riamh.

Right: An old fever hospital sits in the center of Lettermullen, built at the time of a typhus epidemic in 1913 from which a lot of young people, men and women. There were two nurses working in the hospital day and night. Pat Mhicilín Ó Flatharta from Lettermullen was responsible for burying the bodies. When the hospital was closed down, the building was used as an “office” for paying rent to the landlords. To this day the building is known as The Office locally.

The local rent collector was a Mr Curtain who one year took off for Australia. His relations brought a coffin to the office pretending Mr Curtain had died. They filled the coffin with stones and blankets and the rent collector who was still alive and well in Australia was buried in a graveyard in East Galway.

Ar dheis: Suíonn sean-ospidéal fiabhrais i lár Leitir Mealláin, tógtha in aimsir an droch-fhliú ónár fuair na míllte daoine óga bás, fir bhreátha agus mná óga as an gceantar. Bhí beirt bhanaltra ag obair ann oíche ‘s lá. Ba é Pat Mhicilín Ó Flatharta as Leitir Mealláin a bhí freagrach as na coirp a chur sa reilig. Nuair a dhúnadh an t-ospidéal, d’úsáideadh an fhoirgneamh mar oifig nó “office” le haghaidh cíos

a íoc leis na tiarnaí talún. Inniu fhéin, glaoitear ‘an t-office’ ar an áit seo i gcónaí.

Bhí an bailitheoir cíosa áitiúil t-Uasal Ó Cuirtín, agus bliain amhain bailiú leis chuig an Astráil. Tháinig a mhuintir chuig ‘an office’, thugadar cónra isteach ann ag déanamh amach go raibh an tUasal Curtain caillte. Líonadar an chónra le clocha, ‘s pluideanna, agus cuireadh i reilig in Oirthear na Gaillimhe an bailitheoir cíosa a bhí beo fós san Astráil.

Right: A traditional sideboard laden with antique crockery, some valuable, sits in Lettermullen Heritage Centre.

Right: Pat Mullins, a Lettermullen local, stands proudly in front of the sideboard in his front room. The dresser is almost identical to the antique sideboard in the local museum.

Home Turf

Ar Mhóin Baile

Right: Pat Mullins leads the way into his home on Gorumna island.

Ar dheis: Pat Mullins ag taispeáint an bealach isteach ina theach ar oileán
Gormuna.

Right: Cigarette smoke fills the dimly lit living room of Lettermullen bachelor

Pat Mullins.

Ar dheis: Líonann deatach toitíní sa seomra (soilsithe go híseal) maireachtála baitsiléir Leitir Mealláin Pat Mullin.

Right: PJ O’Flaherta relaxes in the kitchen of the house he has lived in his whole life, built in Lettermullen in the 1800’s. His grandmother moved in in 1929 and opened up a post office after her husband died. Pj took over the business in 1982 .

Ar dheis: PJ O’Flaherty ag ligean scíth a i gcistin an tí ar chaith sé a shaol iomlán ann. Tógtha í Leitir Mealláin sna 1800í, bhog a sheanmháthair isteach in 1929 i ndiaidh bás a fhir agus d’oscail sí oifig poist. Chuaigh PJ i gceannas ar an ngnó i 1982.

“It’s a grand house, sure it housed 6 kids when I was growing up! It’s been here since the 1800’s, my grandfather lived here and i’m pretty sure my great grandfather did too.”

Above: Mary-Ann Mullins stands with her husband outside the house in which she was born and raised in Lettermullen.

‘Is teach mhór é cinnte, bhí seisear páiste lonnaithe ann agus mé ag fás aníos! Tá sé

anseo ó ama na 1800í, bhí cónaí ar mo sheanathair anseo agus táim sách cinnte go

raibh cónaí ar mo shean-athair anseo chomh maith.”

Thuas: Mary-Ann Mullins seasta lena fear céile taobh amuigh den teach inar rugadh

agus tógadh í I Leitir Meallain

“My mother used to bring tourists into the house as well and show them the fireplace, they loved it. Tradition carrying on here I suppose!”

Above: Mary-Ann Mullins relaxes with her neighbour in her house in Lettermullen.

‘Tógadh mo mháthair turasóirí isteach sa teach agus thaispeánadh sí an teallach

daoibh agus b’aoibhinn leo é! Tá an traidisiún ag leanúint ar aghaidh is cosúil!”

Thuas: Ligean Mary-Ann Mullins a scíth lena chomharsa sa teach i Leitir Mealláin.

Above: A caravan made into a

permanent home in Lettermullen.

Thuas: Carbhán ar athraíodh go teach buan, i Leitir Mealláin.

“Jesus I would have washed my hands if I’d known you were coming!”

Stiofán O Neachtain takes a break from moving turf to feed his two ponies which he keeps right outside his thatched cottage in Lettermullen, where he also lives.

“The house used to be nice but not anymore really, there’s no heating and the roof needs replacing but it costs about €50,000.”

“Íosa, do ghlanfainn mo lámha dá mba rud é go raibh a fhios agam go raibh tú ag teacht!” Glacann Stiofán Ó Neachtaín sos ó bheith ag bogadh móine chun bia a sholáthar do na capaillín a bhfuil cónaí orthu taobh amuigh dá thigín i Leitir Mealláin. “Bhíodh an teach seo go deas ach níl a thuilleadh i ndáiríre; níl teas lárnach agus tá deisiúcháin de dhíth ar an díon ach tá costas 50,000 air. Beidh orm clúdach stáin a chur air agus ní smaoineamh ró-mhaith é sin i ndáiríre.

“There is no grants for thatch roofs left from what I hear”, says Maureen Ní Chonaill. “This roof has been here about 15 years, and it’s start to sag in patches. The crows come and pick at it too. There’s no insulation in the roof at all, sure it’s just reeds. The bottom reeds have been here since it was built, in the 1880’s. We’ve been here in Spiddal for 30 years and run a B&B here now, The Short Dock.

“Níl deontas ar bith le fáil i gcomhair díonta tuí, de réir mo thuisceana,” arsa Maureen Ní Chonaill. “Tá an díon anseo le 15 bliain agus tá sé ag meá i bpaistí faoi leith. Tagann na préacháin agus bíonn siad ag baint plaic as, chomh maith. Níl an díon inslithe ar chor ar bith, níl ann ach giolcacha. Tá na bunghiolcacha anseo ó thógadh an teach sna 1880í. Táimid lo naithe sa Spidéal le 30 bliain agus tá B&B á reachtáil againn faoi láthair, “An Chaladh Gearr”

Right: Having lived all over Ireland and in London, Padraic Ni Dhonnacha decided to settle down in Lettermullen.

Ar dheis: Agus sealta caite aige ar fud na hÉireann, chinn Pádraic Ní Dhonnacha

socrú síos in Leitir Mealláin.

Changing of the Ways

Athrú an tSaol

Right: Bundles of newspapers, delivered but never sold, lie outside a closed down petrol station in Maam Cross with the Connemara mountains lying in the background.

Ar dheis: Beart nuachtáin nár díoladh, suite taobh amuigh de stáisiún peitril ii gcros Maam le sléibhte Connemara ar chúl

Above: The remains of an old playground lie discarded by the roadside at the edges of Connemara National Park.

Thuas: Smidiríní de sheanchlós súgartha ag suí ar thaobh an bhóthair ar imeall

Pháirc Náisiúnta Chonnemara.

Left: Shop signs conflict in Moycullen village, with a new Supervalue shopping complex (seen in the background) taking over from Regan’s bar and grocer which was opened in the 1950’s.

Ar dheis: Coimhlint idir fógraí siopaí ii sráidbhaile Maigh Cuilinn; áit a bhfuil

Supervalu nua ag glacadh rochtain ar ionad siopadóireachta. ‘Regan’s Bar and Grocer’ ab ainm don ionad seo, sular ghlac an úinéir nua seilbh air. D’oscail sé sna 1950í.

Right: A closed down shop on the main street of Spiddal town, which used to sell farming goods and equipment.

Ar dheis: Siopa dúnta ar phríomh-shráid bhaile an Spidéil, a ndíoladh earraí agus

trealamh feirmeoireachta.

“We were told by the boss the last day that he expects the liquidators to be coming by sometime soon.”

Left: Caretaker Pat explains the situation at the ‘Luxury Holiday Hostel’ in Spiddeal.

“It’s become a real disaster. Since the recession three years ago business has been way, way down.

“Dúirt an Boss linn an lá faoi dheireadh go bhfuil sé ag súil le teacht na leachtaitheoirí go luath amach anseo.”

Ar clé: Míníonn Airíoch Pat an drochstaid ina bhfuil and ‘Luxury Holiday Hostel’ an Spidéal.

“Is tubaiste cheart é seo. Ó theacht an chúlaithe eacnamaíoch trí bliana ó shin, tá

rudaí imithe i léíg go hiomlán.”

Right: The old cottage lies empty beside the sea coast in Lettermullen, with an abandoned Virgin Mary statue in the window.

Ar dheis: Tá an sean-tigín suite folamh, cois farraige i Leitir Mealláin. Dealbh don Mhaighdean Muire, suite ii bhfuinneog thigín folamh.

Above: A few remnants of a past life remain in an empty house on the Spiddal road

Thuas: Iarsmaí bheaga do saol ón am atá caite, fanta I dteach folamh ar bhóthar an

Spidéil.

Above and below: Disrepair plagues this empty house in Spiddal

Thuas agus thios: Teach folamh imithe in olcas, sa Spidéal.

Above: An old-fashioned schoolhouse lies empty as it haunts the Spiddal to Moycullen road.

Thuas: Scoilteach sean-aiseanta, suite folamh; taibhse ar an mbóthar idir an Spidéal agus bóthar go Maigh Cuilinn.

A Working Tradition

Traidisiún Oibre

Left: Jim Regan stands behind the bar in the pub that bears his name. His father bought the pub in 1952 from the

Turners, who in their time bought it from the Caulfields. The bar is well loved by

locals and is the main spot for meetings and celebrations of the local basketball club.

Ar clé: Jim Regan seasta taobh thiar den bheáir sa teach tábhairne a bhfuil a ainm

air. Cheannaigh a athair an teach in 1952 ó mhuintir Turner, iad siúd a cheannaigh ó

mhuintir Caulfield. Is deas le muintir na háite an teach agus bíonn sé mar áit coigiltis don phobal.

Above: Noelle and Mary Regan stand

behind the counter of Regans grocery store in the village of

Moycullen. The sisters help take care of the shop at the weekends while their

father, Jim, works next door, in Regan’s pub. The shop was bought from the Foxes in the late 1950’s.

Thuas: Noelle agus Mary Regan taobh thiar de chuntar na siopa grósaera Reagan

I mbaile na Mhaigh Cuilinn. Glacann na deirfiúracha seilbh ar an siopa ag an

deireadh seachtaine a fhad agus a bhíonn a n-athair Jim, ag obair béal dorais, I dtigh

tabhairne Regan’s. Ceannaíodh an siopa ó mhuintir Fox sna 1950í.

Left: Guard Mícheal ó’Rainne looks around outside the Spiddal station where he has worked for five years.
“Unemployment is the biggest problem since the recession, tourism is just way down. There is always problems to deal with but the atmosphere on nights out has definitely subdued.”

‘Ar clé: Caitheann Garda Mícheál Ó Rainne súl ar thaobh amuigh an stáisiún sa
Spidéal ar chaith sé cúig blianta dá shaol. “Is í dífhostaíocht an fhadhb is mó ó thús
an chúluithe; tá turasóireacht imithe I léig. Bíonn fadhbanna I gcónaí ar gá deighleáil
leo, ach tá atmaisféar na hoícheanta gortaithe go mór.”

Left: Hairdresser Sara Ní Chéide attends to a client in the main hairdressers on Garmuna island.

”Today is busy enough here as it’s confirmation day in Leitir Meallán!”

Ar clé: Úinéir Gruagaire, Sara Ní Chéide ag dul I ngleic le cliaint I bpríomh-gruagaire

an Oileán Gharmuna. “Is lá ghnóthach go leor é de bharr na Cóneartaithe a bheith ar siúl inniu I Leitir Mealláin.”

“To be honest the celtic tiger never hit us here. We have less letters in the post office than we used to be thats about it. Business has stayed the same. We survived it.”

Above: PJ O’Flaherta stands outside the local Lettermullen Post Office and shop he runs with his wife Jacinta. He took over the business in 1982 from his parents.

“We used to do everything by hand, but the post office was automated last year, so we got a computer."

“Le bheith macánta, ní raibh éifeacht ar bit ag an Tíogar Ceilteach orainn, ar chor ar

bith. Tá níos lú litreacha againn in oifig an phoist ná mar a bhíodh againn, ach is é

sin é. Tá cúrsaí gnó fanta mar a bhíodh. Mhaireamar tríd.”

Thuas: PJ O’Flaherta seasta lasmuigh d’oifig an phoist atá taobh leis an siopa a reachtaíonn sé lena bhean Jacinta. Fuair sé ceannasaíocht ar an ngnó in 1982 óna thuismitheoirí.

“Bhí de nós againn gach rud a dhéanamh lenár lámha, ach tá rudaí éirithe uathoibrítheach na laethanta seo. Fuaireamar ríomhaire."

Left: The parish priest of

Lettermullen waves goodbye to a member of his congregation after Sunday mass. Fr. Eddie O Conghaile has been giving sermons from here since he was ordained 11 years ago after first raising a family over in nearby Carna.

Ar clé: Fágann sagart paróiste Leitir Mealláin slán le duine dá bpobal i ndiaidh an aifrinn Dé Domhnaigh. Tá óráidí tugtha ag Fr. Eddie O Conghaile ó oirníodh é 11 bliain ó shin I ndiaidh dó clann a fhorbairt in aice Carna.

The Work Of Today

Ar Obair An Lae Inniu

Right: Peadar Conroy, a pilot stands in front of one of Aer Arann’s three aircrafts which hold eight passengers. He is one of four pilots who work at the airport, and between them they fly about ten times a day to the Aran Islands, and this rises to 30 trips in peak times. The airline use to fly out of Galway

Airport before they opened up on their own in Iverin, bringing 15 jobs to the area.

Ar dheis: Píolótach Peadar Conroy seasta os comhair ceann amháin de thrí Aer Arann ar aerárthaí a shealbhú ocht paisinéirí. Tá sé ar cheann de cheithre píolótaí atá ag obair ag an aerfort, agus idir na siad ag eitilt thart ar deich n-uaire sa lá go hOileáin Árann, agus ardaíonn sé seo le 30

turais in amanna buaice. An úsáid aerlíne a eitilt amach as Aerfort na Gaillimhe sula d’oscail siad suas ar a gcuid féin i Iverin, rud a thug 15 poist go dtí an ceantar.

“We will march until they undo the redundancies. It’s not just the jobs, they are cutting all the services in Connemara.” Above: Government workers protest in Rosmuc in the first industrial strike in the State’s largest Gaeltacht for 30 years, after four of ten employees were made

redundant due to cutbacks to their department. The sign in the background reads ‘Cosaint do serbhisi agus obair i gConamara thiar’, which means ‘Saving services and work in Western Connemara’. “Déanfaimid Márta go dtí go ngabhfar Cealaigh an iomarcaíocht. Níl sé ach na poist, tá siad ag gearradh na seirbhísí go léir i gConamara.”

Thuas: Rialtas oibrithe agóid i Rosmuc so céad stailc tionscail ar faigh tríocha blian sa Gaeltacht is mó sa Stát, tar éis a rinneadh ceithre cinn de deichniúr fostaithe iomarcach de bharr gearradh siar a n-roinn. Léann an comhartha sa chúlra ‘Cosaint do serbhisi agus obair i gConamar;a thiar’.’

Right: Bean an Tí;

“The biggest buzz we get is from students going to Irish camp in the summer, we need them really. We’re out of the way here so we get no passing trade”, explains Jacinta O Flaherta, who runs the local post office in Lettermullen with her husband. “This talk of not making Irish

mandatory for the leaving cert..it would kill the whole industry out here. It’s madness, the students wont go to the Gaeltacht if that happens.”

Ar dheis: Bean an Tí; “An buzz is mó a fhaigheann muid is ó na mic léinn ag

dul go dtí campa Gaeilge i rith an tsamhraidh, ní mór dúinn iad i ndáiríre. Táimid

anseo amach ar an mbealach sin a fháil againn rith aon trádáil,” míníonn Jacinta O

Flaherta, a ritheann an oifig poist áitiúil i Leitir Mealláin lena fear céile PJ. “ag caint

ar na héireann ní a dhéanamh éigeantach don teastas a fhágáil...Ba é a mharú ar

an tionscal ina iomláine amach anseo. Tá sé mheabhair, na mic léinn dul chun na

Gaeltachta wont má tharlaíonn go.”

Above: A repair man climbs up to fix an electricity pole on the Spiddal to Moycullen road.

Thuas: Dreapann fear a dheisiú suas go socrófar cuaille leictreachais ag an bóthar o

Spidéal go Maigh Cuillin.

Right: TG4 (the Irish television network) Marketing Manager Padraic O’Riaghne tells how the 100 employees who work in the main building all speak some Irish.

“95 per cent of the employees are Irish, from all over the country. The rest, whether they be from Poland or wherever, all pick up Irish to use. We’ve been here since 1996 and one be one of the biggest business’s in the area.“

Ar dheis: TG4 (an líonra teilifíse na héireann) Bainisteoir Margaíochta Padraic

O’Raighne Insíonn conas an 100 fostaithe atá ag obair sa phríomhfhoirgneamh

labhairt na Gaeilge is mó den am.

“95 faoin gcéad de na fostaithe gaelach ó gach cearn den tír. An chuid eile, cibé acu

a bheith as an bPolainn nó cibé áit, pioc suas na hÉireann go léir a úsáid. Tá muid

anseo ó 1996 i leith ní mór a bheith agus ceann de na is mó gnóthaí sa cheantar.”

Above: Aodhan Ó Concannon, from Inís Man, is the primary school teacher of junior infants at Scoil Naisunta, Lettermullen.

“I teach 9 junior infants right now and 8 in seniour infants, they share the classroom here. There’s 6 students in 6th class at the moment so the numbers are rising. Maybe two out of this class have no Irish, the

others all come in with nearly no english so it can be a tough mix.”

‘Thuas: Aodhan Concannon ó Inís Man is é an múinteoir bunscoile ó naíonáin

shóisearacha ag Scoil Naisunta, Leitir Meallain. “Mhúineadh mé 9 naíonáin

shóisearacha ceart anois agus 8 naíonáin shinsearacha roinneann siad an

seomra ranga anseo. Níl 6 daltaí sa rang 6 i láthair na huaire mar sin go bhfuil na

huimhreacha ag ardú. B’fhéidir dhá cheann as an rang nach bhfuil aon Ghaeilge

teacht ar na daoine eile go léir i le beagnach gan Béarla ionas gur féidir é a bheith

ina meascán diana.”

Right: Shauna Murphy, from Ros a Mhil, shows off the Aran jumpers in Standun in Spiddeal, a department store specialising in traditional Irish merchandise since 1943. The shop was renovated last year with the introduction of more modern clothes to try and tempt in more local customers.

“There has been a huge absence of the bus loads of American customers we used to get, now it’s mainly French and Germans tourists who don’t spend as much money.”

‘Ar dheis: Shauna Murphy, ó Ros a Mhil, léiríonn as an geansaí Árann i Standun sa

Spidéal, sainfheidhmiú ar siopa ilranna i marsantas na héireann traidisiúnta ó 1943.

Déanadh athchóiriú ar an siopa na bliana seo caite le tabhairt isteach na héadaí

níos nua-aimseartha chun iarracht a dhéanamh níos mó custaiméirí a mhealladh i

áitiúil. “Tá a easnamh ollmhór na hualaí bus custaiméirí Meiriceánach úsáid againn

chun a fháil, anois tá sé den chuid is mó turasóirí na Fraince agus na Gearmánaigh

nach bhfuil a chaitheamh mar airgead i bhfad.”

Sport And Recreation

Spórt Agus Caitheamh Aimsire

Left: Cyclists take advantage of the low traffic and long roads in Spiddal, County Galway.

Above: Ros Muc’s coach looks on at his senior team

St Patrick’s Day

Lá Fhéile Pádraig

Above: St Patrick himself turns up at the celebratory parade in

Spiddal, County Galway

Above: Children from the Spiddal drama group dress up for the

parade through the main street.

Right: Members of An Ceardlann promote the Art and Design Studios in Spiddal’s St. Patricks Day Parade.

Above: Local kids compare stories after dressing up for the Spiddal parade on March 17th.

Above: Spiddal GAA club’s younger members march with their hurleys in the local parade.

Day To Day Life

Saol Ó Lá Go Lá

Right: Local lad Dillon McDermot checks his betting slip after leaving the

bookmakers in Spiddal town.

Above: Moycullen local Padraic

Murphy relaxes in the sun

outisde his regular pub in the

village, Foxes.

Left: Spiddal local Eileen Barber takes a seat at the nearby pier. She used to run the town’s corner shop until it was bought out by Spar.

Above: Paul Doyle and his son Evan clip the wings of one of their hens to prevent it flying over the fence to the mercy of foxes, in

Moycullen, Galway.

Above: Local teenagers hang out at the

weekend in the centre of

Lettermore village

Above: Seamus O Neachtain stands outside

the old shed where he keeps food and hay

for his cows. Living just down the road,

he cycles everywhere.

Above: School girls relax after class on the

rocks at Spiddal pier

Left: Two friends stop for a chat before the St. Patrick’s Day parade begins in Spiddal town.

Right: Tomas O Conghaile works overtime

at the weekend, fixing a truck part with

his business partner Seamus in the yard

of their haulage company in Lettermullen,

County Galway.

Above and below: Local man Tommy McDonagh

leans against the window sill outside

Siopa Tigh Foley in Lettermullen.

The shop sorts and sells a lot of turf

and peat briquettes.

Left: Lettermullen; Two camera shy local teenagers arrive to show Padraic Ni Dhonnacha their new moped bike.

The Church

An Eaglais

Above: A church is hidden in the trees near

Bealadangan on the road to Leitir Mór

Above: Lettermullen parish priest Fr.

Eddie O Conghaile stands outside the

church where he has preached ever since

he was ordained 11 years ago, saying

how he says how he is glad to be back

after a spell in the hospital in Galway for

a hip injury.

Above: Fr Eddie leads the way out of the

Star of the Sea Church in Lettermullen.

Above: The road winds harshly by

Ballinahinch lake, through the fog, with a

Virgin Mary statue greeting drivers on the

way

Above: Maureen Ni Bhraonain stands

after mass on a Sunday morning in

Lettermullen, outside the Star of the Sea

church. It was built in 1887 and took

six months to build. A local man, Pád-

raig Cooney, carried all the wood for the

church in a basket on his back from an

Tanaí Mhóir in Lettermullen to where the

church was being built. Wooden sticks

that came ashore in this area and in Carna

were used in the church’s roof.

Rural Miscellany

Meascra Tuaithe

Above: A trailer for sale in Killinan

Right: Evan Doyle shows off one of his family’s hens.

Right: a lengthy turf wall stands in Caladh

Above: A gorse fire seems
uncontrolled in Lettermullan.

Right: A wall and gate seem

unnecessary on rocks beside the sea in Leitir Meallain.

Above: A sign promotes handknit sweaters to tourists on the Carna road.

Above: Sheep file across the road and

onto some nearbly grass in Maam Cross,

highlighting the dark colours of the

winter grass.

Above: A sign warns drivers of the dangers of country roads in Killanin, County Galway, where a steep drop seperates the main road and a farmers track.,