The last candle on the Great Blasket
Life on the island had gradually become unsustainable. There was a dangerous two-mile journey across an often turbulent sea for vital supplies from the mainland, and the turf the islanders depended on for fuel was fast running out. Many had already given up the unequal struggle, and had emigrated to America.
Yet, with all its hardships, this wind-blasted island had for many years sustained a vibrant community, rich in culture, where the Irish language thrived, and which produced extraordinary talent, including writers like Peig Sayers and Tomas Ó Criomhthain.
