Book tells story of fishing in Brandon

A BI-LINGUAL book which provides an insight into the fishing communities of Brandon and Cloghane was launched in Halla le Chéile, Brandon on Friday night.

Recognising the need to preserve and document the history of the local fishing tradition before it was lost from memory, Comharchumann Forbartha Leith Triúigh embarked on the project to recall the story of a community that once had 30-40 fishing boats providing a livelihood for their families.

Dedicated to the fishing community of an Leith Triúigh, te result is a bilingual book entitled Fishing in the Cloghane and Brandon Area and a video containing footage of fishermen at work. The book includes a collection of personal accounts, description of traditions, stories and songs from the fishing community.

Post famine there were up to 100 canoes fishing from Brandon Pier. In the 1930s there were 12 nobbies (deep-keeled 36-foot sailing boats) as well as canoes and a thriving fish exporting trade providing work for coopers and local jobs in fish processing. External factors, in the form of severe restrictions on the importation of salted mackerel into the US brought an end to all this in the 1940s.

The book, which costs €5, is now available and the video will be available shortly. Contact the Comharcumann at eolas@cflt.ie or 066-7138137 to order a copy.

The project was carried out with financial support from the FLAG programme.