Lorcán Ó Cinnéide
Man of the Blaskets
The dramatic Blasket Centre, one of the wonders of the Wild Atlantic Way, reopened on June 28th, 2022, after extensive refurbishment and an investment of €2.9 million. The project involved a total transformation of the Centre’s exhibitions to deliver an authentic and imaginative narrative of the story of the Blasket islands, with their rich heritage and unique literature. Lorcán Ó Cinnéide is the Manager of the Blasket Centre and hails from the Kerry Gaeltacht himself.
“My greatgrandfather came from the Great Blasket and I was involved in its conservation through the Blasket Island Foundation for many years before joining the OPW,” explains Lorcán. “It’s an important part of the local community and a major tourist destination. We appreciate the support from Fáilte Ireland in the reimagining of the Centre and the creation of a spectacular Wild Atlantic Way Viewing platform on the site a number of years ago,” he explains.
“The Blasket Centre is significant in terms of heritage nationally and very much part of its local community. The challenge was for our exhibitions to be authentic and accessible to visitors who may have no prior knowledge of the story and it communicates on many levels. I’m very happy that it elicits such emotional and moving responses from our visitors.”
“There is a fascinating literary culture connected to the Blaskets. Books such as An t-Oileánach (The Islandman) by Tomás Ó Criomhthain, Peig by Peig Sayers, and Fiche Bliain ag Fás (Twenty years a-Growing) by Muiris Ó Súilleabháin deliver a real sense of the social history and the realities of living there. We are fortunate that it is such a welldocumented spot,” adds Lorcán.
The Blasket Islands are a Special Area of Conservation that boasts a major Grey Seal colony, transiting whales and dolphins, diving gannets, petrels and migratory puffins and Manx Shearwaters.
“When we reopened June 2022 it coincided with a general reawakening from the public and a fresh focus on our own historic sites after the Covid19 pandemic.”
For those who like a bit of craic, the Dingle Peninsula has a host of live traditional music, arts festivals, the colourful Naomhóg regattas – traditional boat racing as well as the Dingle Races.
“It’s such a rich culture here. Visitors enjoy listening to us speaking Irish in the Centre as it’s what comes naturally to us here. We communicate to each other in the vernacular of the area, it’s very much a living language that has a resonance to the past and critical to the future. Language and the stories we celebrate at the Blasket Centre are an essential part of our heritage.”
One of Lorcán’s favourite aspects of the Blasket Centre exhibition is to listen to recordings of the original islanders’ voices telling stories about their lives on the island, in their own language. It’s totally immersive and haunting. He also loves to walk the beaches and hills and look at the commanding views on the furthest edge of the Atlantic.
“One of my favourite trails is to walk the length of the island from the island landing place and then up as far as The Cró – the highest point on the island. It’s an 8km walk and to do that in your own time, to appreciate the views and think about those who walked before you is a wonderful experience.”
“Although access to the island itself can depend on weather and season, the Blasket Centre on the mainland at Dún Chaoin is a wonderful way to access this “Kingdom of Stories”, as it has been called,” he concludes.