New book celebrates Mayo’s maritime heritage
SCÉAL Muirí Mhuigh Eo (Mayo’s Maritime Story), by Dr. Breandán Mac Conamhna, was officially launched in Áras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet, by Minister Dara Calleary.
Published by Mayo Books Press, the book tells stories of the people who lived on the coast of Mayo from the time of pre-history to the present day.
It starts with stories of the people who lived on the coast in pre-history and describes the very comprehensive mark the monks left on our coast from about 500-1100 AD. There are stories about the arrival of the Normans in 1202, the O’Malleys and Gráinne Mhaol and Humbert’s invasion of 1798.
The Industrial Revolution had a profound effect on the design of indigenous fishing craft. Four different curragh types and two different yawls emerged on the Mayo coast in the second half of the 19th century. Another curragh type emerged in the 20th century, and today it makes up one third of the Mayo fishing fleet.
David Brennan of Mayo Books Press explained that the book is written in the Irish of Erris, an Irish dialect specific to north Mayo. “Mayo Books Press is committed to publishing books that promote our county's culture and language, and I cannot think of a book that personifies this aim better than Sceal Muiri,” he said.
“Our native language is a link to our past, using words specific to our people and our culture. The book is therefore vitally important in the preservation and promotion of our county and our culture, and it is my honour to be associated with it.”
Seoirsín Bashford from Gaeilge Iorrais said: “We are delighted to support the launch of this, in many ways, important book, and we congratulated Breandán on his fine contribution to preserving the Erris dialect.”
Gaeilge Iorrais sponsored the launch, and provided musicians and dancers, who contributed hugely to the celebratory nature of the occasion.
Minister Calleary paid tribute to Breandán’s skills as a writer but also to his primary influence on the development of the Regional Technical Sligo, now the ATU, in the '80s and '90s, creating third-level opportunities for the young people of the region. He also paid tribute to the contribution of the Mac Conamhna/Caulfield family through Breandán’s books and the Céide Fields and correctly identified Cáithlín Bairéad as their matriarch.
Belderrig is tied to the sea, as indeed is all of Mayo, and this valuable book contains stories relating to Mayo that would otherwise be forgotten, he said.
The minister thanked David Brennan for all the work he was doing in promoting Mayo’s cultural heritage though Mayo Books Press. And he paid tribute to the work of Seoirsín, her colleagues and the committee of Gaeilge Iorrais. They and other groups like them all over the Gaeltacht are giving an impetus and momentum to the Irish language that has not occurred for decades, and are giving hope and confidence for its future, he said.
“To be a local writer in Ireland and to tell stories about your own communities takes courage, and I commend Breandán’s courage in the books he has written about curraghs and in this book which tells stories about Mayo’s maritime heritage,” said Minister Calleary.
Eighty-nine-year old Breandán was born and reared in Belderrig, in the Erris Gaeltacht, and has lived for the last 40 years in Riverstown, Co. Sligo. He taught for 20 years as a teacher and lecturer in England, before being appointed principal of the Regional Technical College Sligo in 1980, and was later Director of the Institute of Technology, Sligo.
He retired in 2001 and this is his fifth book to be published since then.
He also helped to build three curraghs which, except for Covid years, he has had on display, most years, at maritime festivals in France. Earlier this year, Mayo Books Press published another book by Breandán, The Curraghs and Naomhóga of Ireland.
Both books are available from Castle Bookshop, Castlebar, or from mayobooks.ie.