Portmagee takes Star Wars-themed name

THE name Portmagee – Port Magee and Magee’s Port as it was formerly known – comes from Captain Theobald Magee, a notorious 18th-century smuggler. Having served in the army of King James as an officer, Magee ‘retired’ to a life of merchant shipping between France, Portugal and Ireland. Thanks to the many inlets around the southwest coast, his trade in contraband spirits, textiles, tea and tobacco was hard to police and therefore very profitable.

He married Bridget Morgell, the widow of a rich Dingle merchant and also the daughter of the then-representative for Dingle, Thomas Crosbie.

There is some suspicion that Magee’s death in a Lisbon monastery was due to some exile imposed by the powerful MP. However, his wife and sons continued the family business of smuggling.

Portmagee also became locally known as ‘The Ferry, translated to ‘An Caladh’ in Irish as people in past times (before the arrival of the Valentia Bridge) were ferried by small boat to nearby Valentia and back. Portmagee, together with Skellig Michael, has since 2015, received worldwide acclaim through its association with Star Wars. The scenic village was host to the Star Wars film crew as they filmed on the Skelligs and to mark the launch of Star Wars Episode VII it has temporarily been renamed in honour of the blockbuster series.

The ‘Welcome to Porgmagee’ sign was erected in bold lettering at the eastern entrance to the village. The name refers to new creatures called Porgs, based on the Skelligs’ puffins, that appear in the new film.

And so, is it any wonder that those who erected the sign Kevin Curran of Valentia and Kieran ‘Cap’ Murphy of Emlaghpeiste, Portmagee - endured a lot of local slagging as they went about their work?

People, totally unaware of the reason for the temporary sign, stopped in their cars or pulled up walking as they advised them as to the right spelling: to replace the ’g’ in ‘Porg’ with a ‘t’.

However, undaunted, the two diligent workers continued about their business to put their detractors back in their place and have the last laugh.

Photo by Valerie O’Sullivan Local guide Muiris Walsh of Iveragh Historical Tours, dressed as ‘Chewbacca’ in the newly named ‘Porgmagee’, where film stars and crew departed for Skellig Michael, the location of Star Wars Episodes VII and VIII.