Blasket Islands

Blasket Islands

Blasket Islands, Blasket Islands, Blaskets, irl. On Blascaodaí - a group of six small islands on the west coast of Ireland, near Slea Head Cape (Count Kerry). The biggest ones are An Blascoad Mór (Great Blasket), Inishtooskert, Inishnabro and Inishvickillane.

The islands are characterized by poor flora and fauna. Steep slopes, falling into the sea with high cliffs, are covered in many peat places. There are communities of dwarf trees, among others. willows. Sea birds are nested here. penguins, rabbits, seals, the largest of the island's feral donkeys.

In the early Middle Ages there were monks, in later centuries the largest of these inhospitable, poor islands was inhabited by a group of fishermen and farmers. In 1840 there were about 150, during the great famine the population fell to about 100 people to reach a maximum in 1916 (176 inhabitants). Since then, the population has continued to decline, until 1953/54, when the last 22 inhabitants left the island.

Limited contact with the mainland caused the survival of traditional culture and Irish language in common use. At the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century, the island attracted linguists, anthropologists, etc. In part, thanks to their inspiration, there were some interesting works of Irish literature describing local traditions and life style in the 1920s and 1930s. , as well as a reflection of traditional history, orally transmitted by residents, dating back a couple of centuries. For example, a novel entitled " Twenty years of Maurice O'Sullivan's growing up.

Near the islands lie the wrecks of two Spanish armada of the Great Armada, which sank in 1588.

Nowadays, the importance of tourism - Great Blasket connections with mainland, smaller islands, considered as nature reserve, inaccessible without special permission.

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