OPW: Office of Public Works
Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí
Great Blasket Island – Purchase of Property by the State.
Mr John Gormley, TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local
Government, and Dr Martin Mansergh, TD., Minister of State with
responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), has announced the
completion of the purchase of the majority land-holding interest on the
Great Blasket Island, Co Kerry.
Negotiations with the owners, Blascaod Mór Teoranta, had been taking
place over a number of years in order to acquire into public ownership a
substantial portion of the Island with a view to establishing a National
Historic Park.
"This is a major advancement of the objective to preserve an important
component of our national cultural, historic and linguistic heritage”,
Minister Gormley said. “In 2005 the Government decided that the majority
of land interests on An Blascaod Mór should be purchased by the State.
This goal has now been reached.”
“I believe that this purchase marks a major advancement towards the
conservation and management of the Island through the gradual
implementation of an agreed Management Plan” Minister Gormley continued.
“An Blascaod Mór is a tangible repository of the way-of-life,
traditions and rich culture of a native Irish-speaking western island
community, particularly from the 19th and early 20th century period. Its
national and international importance merits protection of the Island by
the State.”
Funding of €2m was made available by Minister Gormley’s Department to
enable the purchase to be completed.
Minister of State Martin Mansergh added: “I am delighted to welcome this
very special addition to the wide portfolio of heritage properties managed
by OPW. The Visitor Centre at Dún Chaoin on the mainland overlooking the
Island, Ionad An Bhlascaod Mór, already receives 50,000 visitors annually
and also makes a major contribution to the socio-economic fabric of the
region.” The Centre presents and interprets the Island’s heritage and
gives visitors an experience of the social roots which inspired the great
Irish language works. It includes exhibitions with graphics, models and
audio-visual elements, and guide staff. The Centre will continue in this
role and complement the conservation-focused presentation of the actual
Island.
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BACKGROUND – GENERAL
The Great Blasket Island is renowned as an exceptional, intact relic of
the way-of-life, traditions and rich culture of a native Irish-speaking
western island community, particularly from the 19th and early 20th
century period. The social history, folklore and subsistence
farming/fishing traditions are unsurpassed in Ireland and of both National
and International importance.
The Island was abandoned by the community in 1953 and many of their
descendants settled on the mainland around Dún Chaoin and Dingle.
The Island was the home of three noted Irish-language writers:
- Peig Sayers (Peig., & Machnamh Seanmhná, (Memories of An Oldwoman),
1936)
- Muiris Ó Súilleabháin (Fiche Bliain ag Fás, (Twenty Years
a-Growing), 1933)
- Tomás Ó Criomhthain (An t-Oileánach, (The Islandman), 1929)
The OPW will be responsible for the management, conservation and promotion
of the property and will carry-out initial protection/conservation works
to the structures on the acquired property which formed part of the
abandoned village. A detailed Management Plan, agreed with local
stakeholders, will guide the future management of the Island.
An Blascaod Mór – Ceannach Sealúchas ag an Stáit
NUACHT:
D’fhógair an tAire Comhshaoil, Oidhreachta & Rialtais Áitiúil, An
tUas. John Gormley TD agus An Dr Máirtín Mhainséaraigh, TD, Aire Stáit
le freagracht do Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí (OPW) go bhfuil an chríoch
mhullaigh curtha ar cheannach an tsealúchais talún is mó ar an
mBlascaod Mór, Co. Chiarraí.
Táthar i mbun comhchainteanna leis na húinéirí, Blascaod Mór
Teoranta, le roinnt bhlianta anuas ionas go dtiocfadh stráice
substaintiúil den Oileán faoi úinéireacht phoiblí agus é mar aidhm
Páirc Náisiúnta Stairiúil a bhunú.
"Céim mhór chun cinn an méid seo san aidhm dhaingean atá againn
caomhnú a dhéanamh ar ghné thábhachtach d'ár n-oidhreacht
náisiúnta ó thaobh cultúir, staire agus teanga ”, a dúirt an tAire
Gormley. “Rinne an Rialtas cinneadh i 2005 gur cheart don Stát
mórchuid na ngabháltas ar An Blascaod Mór a cheannach. Tá an sprioc
sin bainte amach anois.”
“Creidim gur dul chun cinn tábhachtach atá sa cheannach seo i dtreo
chaomhnú agus bhainistíocht an Oileáin de réir Phlean Bainistíochta
comhaontaithe a cuirfear i bhfeidhm de réir a chéile” dar leis an
tAire Gormley. “Is taisce suaithinseach é An Blascaod Mór de shaol, de
thraidisiúin agus de chultúr shaibhir phobail in Iarthar Éireann arb í
an Ghaeilge a dteanga dhúchais go háirithe le linn an tréimhse ón
19ú aois agus sa chuid luath den fichiú haois. Tá cosaint an Stáit
tuillte ag an Oileán de bharr a thábhacht náisiúnta agus
idirnáisiúnta.”
Chuir Roinn an Aire Gormley maoiniú de €2 mhilliún ar fáil chun
ceannach na talún a chur i gcrích.
Ag cur leis an bhfógra seo dúirt an tAire Stáit Máirtín
Mhainséaraigh: “Is breá liom go bhfuil an talamh seo ar an mBlascaod
glactha againn chugainn féin mar is cuid an-speisialta é anois den raon
leathan sealúchas ata á mbainistiú ag Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí.
Tugann isteach is amach le 50,000 duine cuairt gach bliain ar an ionad
mínithe, Ionad An Bhlascaoid Mhóir, ar an míntír i nDún Chaoin, ní
a chuireann go mór le saol socheacnamaíoch an réigiúin”.
Cuireann an tIonad saol an oileáin i láthair agus tugann sé léargas
do chuairteoirí ar na cúinsí sóisialta a ba bhun leis na saothair
den scoth a chuir na hoileanaigh ar fáil as Gaeilge.
Ar fáil san Ionad tá graificí, mionsamhlacha, maraon le gnéithe
closamhairc agus foireann de threoraithe. Leanfaidh an tIonad leis an
ról seo agus cuirfidh sé leis an gcur i lathair ar an oileán féin, arb
é an caomhnú a bhun is a bharr.
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CÚLRA –GHINEARÁLTA
Iarsma cáiliúil suaithinseach slán is ea an Blascaod Mór de shlí
beatha, de thraidisiúin agus de chultúr saibhir pobail oileáin in
Iarthar na hÉireann, arb í an Ghaeilge a dteanga dhúchais, go háirithe
le linn an tréimhse ón 19ú aois agus sa chuid luath den bhfichiú
haois. Níl a shárú le fáil in Éirinn den stair shóisialta nó de na
traidisiúin feirmeoireachta/iascaigh, ‘ón lámh go dtí an mbéal’,
a bhfuil tábhacht Náisiúnta agus Idirnáisiúnta ag baint leo.
Thréig an pobal an Oileán sa bhliain 1953 agus lonnaigh cuid mhaith dá
sliocht ar an míntír i gcomharsanacht Dhún Chaoin agus An Daingin.
Mhair triúr údar Gaeilge iomráiteacha san Oileán:
-Peig Sayers (Peig (1936) & Machnamh Seanmhná (1939)
-Muiris Ó Súilleabháin (Fiche Blian Ag Fás, (1933))
-Tomás Ó Criomhthain (An tOileánach (1929))
Beidh Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí freagrach as bainistíocht, caomhnú
agus cur chun cinn an tsealúchais, agus rachaidh siad i mbun
réamh-oibreacha cothabhála/cosanta ar na struchtúir atá lonnaithe ar
an sealúchas ceannaithe a bhí mar pháirt den mbaile tréigthe. Beidh
Plean Bainistíochta mionsonraithe, é aontaithe le páirtithe leasmhara
áitiúla, mar threoir ar bhainistíocht an Oileáin sa dtodhchaí.