On the west coast of Ireland, near the Bellmullet peninsula, is the small archipelago of Inishkea. The two main islands are named, in a very original way, Inishkea north and Inishkea south. They are bordered by numerous golden sandy beaches, licked by clear waters.
Islands full of history
In addition to the beauty of their shores, these islands have an unusual history. Inhabited very early in history, they are full of vestiges. We find, at the bend of the walks, traces dating from the Paleolithic, the beginnings of Christianity and in the more recent history, of a Norwegian whaling station and the last inhabitants of the islands.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, more than 350 people lived in Inishkea. The small white thatched cottages are squeezed together on the east coast of the islands, more protected from the prevailing winds. The landscape is harsh despite the beautiful beaches that dot the shores.
The inhabitants are dedicated to fishing or work at the whaling station to extract oil and ambergris. But they have also always been involved in piracy and smuggling activities to survive.
The deadly storm
One tragic day in 1927, a storm broke without warning. The men were at sea in their currachs. Some managed to reach the shore but others did not survive the storm. 10 young fishermen were missing.
This tragedy marked the end of the permanent settlement of the islands. The families did not recover from this ordeal and a few years later, they settled on the Bellmullet peninsula opposite Inishkea. The last survivor of this storm died in 2008, at the age of 101.
The end of an era
Today, the sheep have become the guardians of these lands. The old thatched cottages fall into ruin on the shore. Only a handful of them have been maintained by a few descendants of the fishermen, who return during the summer to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors. Tourists also visit the remains and enjoy the wild beauty of these islands.
