Blasket islander honoured with doctorate

ONE of the last surviving natives of the Great Blasket Island, Micheál O Cearna, 89, was last evening conferred with an honorary doctorate of literature.

The honour, from NUI Maynooth, was in recognition of his work to preserve the Irish language and culture and for his efforts to have the Blaskets designated a national park. It was Dr O Cearna’s approach to the then taoiseach, Éamon de Valera, that ultimately led to the evacuation of the Blaskets in 1953.

He emigrated to the US, in 1948, but maintained a life-long interest in the welfare of the island.