On an Irish Island

by Robert Kanigel

  37 I must get Peig Sayers to be my teacher: Jackson, in Another.

  38 Is at once the Bible: W. B. Yeats, “The Message of the Folk-lorist,” Speaker, Aug. 19, 1893, p. 186.

  39 What we mean by folk culture: Kenneth Jackson, “The International Folktale in Ireland,” p. 264.

  40 Learning became popularised: Ibid., p. 265.

  41 The cinemas and wirelesses: Jackson, in Another.

  42 Special leave: Records of Standing Committee, 1910–1944, p. 4651, British Museum.

  43 My visit is an extraordinary success: Flower to Idris Bell, annotated as “after 27 May 1930,” ff67, British Library.

  44 Ediphone: Demonstration and informational film furnished by Anna Bale, Delargy.

  45 Payment in cigarettes: Seán Pheats Team Ó Cearnaigh, interview with Mícheál de Mórdha, 1993, Blasket Centre, RuthTransl.

  46 Independent of time: Flower to Idris Bell, May 27, 1930, ff66, British Library.

  47 Folksongs enough: Flower to Idris Bell, annotated as “after 27 May 1930, ff67, British Library.”

  48 I give concerts: Ibid.

  49 Hearty laugh only rarely: Joe Daly, in Another.

  50 Her changes of mood: W. R. Rodgers, introduction, Sayers, An Old Woman’s Reflections, p. xiii.

  51 Enormous power: Joe Daly, in Another.

  52 Graduation requirement: “I don’t think it is, or was, a book for teenagers,” said Cathal Póirtéir of Peig’s books. Póirtéir was being interviewed on RTÉ, May 1, 2008, about his production of Blasket Island Reflections. They “didn’t want an old woman moaning about how hard her life was when really they were interested in the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and U2.”

  53 She was … most beautiful eyes: Jackson, in Another. See also Reflections, p. 18: “Those who knew Peig Sayers paint a picture of a woman noted for her good looks, earthy sense of humour and occasionally racy language.” Pádraig Ua Maoileoin refers to “her frankness in sexual discussions.” Almqvist says, “Peig was very far from the prude she has often been made out to be” (“The Scholar and the Storyteller,” p. 45).

  54 With a face scarcely lined: Mahon, p. 141.

  55 It was clear … a man’s woman: Ibid., p. 142.

  56 He had a big box: O’Guiheen, p. 79.

  57 Mary Kennedy: Biographical details translated and summarized from two Blasket Centre Irish-language articles, RuthTransl; also, “Gentle, Gracious and Gifted—Peig of the Blaskets,” Irish Independent, Jan. 12, 1952.

  58 Would never be satisfied: O’Guiheen, p. 78.

  59 So clean and finished a style: Robin Flower, The Western Island, p. 49.

  60 We used to peep in through the window: Máirín Bean Uí Bheoláin interviewed by Mícheál de Mórdha, 1993, Blasket Centre, RuthTransl.

  61 This one flung warm to the world: O’Hanlon.

  62 Is told in fine idiomatic Irish: Nic Gh., p. 93.

  63 “What Dublin Is Reading”: Irish Times, July 4, 1936.

  64 Because this inherited … it is not less literature: Nic Gh., p. 94.

  65 The day was beautiful: Seán Pheats Team Ó Cearnaigh, Fiolar an Eireabaill Bháin, pp. 41–42, RuthTransl.

  66 Some driftwood planks: Lockley, I Know an Island, p. 134.

  67 And oh Mr. Chambers: LísLetters, p. 33.

  68 Couldn’t even raise his hand: Seán Ó Criomhthain interview, in Memories, p. 116.

  69 On landing: In Lís, vol. 1943, p. 58, Eibhlís describes this as Ní Shéaghdha’s own translation of the Irish obituary she wrote for a local paper.

  70 Myles na Gopaleen: See his (writing as Flann O’Brien) The Hair of the Dogma (London: Grafton Books, 1977); Danielle Jacquin, “ ​‘Cerveaux Lucides Is Good Begob’: Flann O’Brien and the World of Peasants,” in Genet, ed., Rural Ireland, Real Ireland?, pp. 223–33; “An Béal Bocht: Myles na gCopaleen (1911–1966),” in The Pleasures of Gaelic Literature, ed. John Jordan (Dublin: Mercier Press, 1977), pp. 85–96; Sarah McKibben, “The Poor Mouth: A Parody of (Post) Colonial Irish Manhood,” Research in African Literatures, vol. 34, no. 4 (Winter 2003), pp. 96–114.

  71 Took a bucket full of muck: Flann O’Brien, p. 16.

  72 Prolonged sneer: Flann O’Brien, The Hair of the Dogma, p. 181. See also Mac Conghail radio interview, Oct. 22, 2002.

  73 Two islanders and two visitors: Photo at Blasket Centre. Thanks to Dáithi de Mórdha for identifying the two islanders.

  74 Tonight is very fine: LísLetters, p. 79.

  11. A GREEN IRISH THREAD

  1 The village I know best: George Thomson, Marxism and Poetry, p. 6.

  2 Runs a green Irish thread: Richard Martin, p. 87.

  3 He must have become immune to the noise: KathFrag.

  4 It shows him in profile: Thomson Archives.

  5 Katharine had seen the emergent Nazi Germany: KathFrag.

  6 Saw some good: Ibid.

  7 He was nearly always tense: Thomson, “Note on Wittgenstein,” Thomson Archives.

  8 We were … more to the left: KathFrag.

  9 Took to the chessboard: Ibid.

  10 Held up by throngs of children: Thomson, quoted in KathFrag. A slightly different version appears in George Thomson, Aeschylus and Athens, p. 297.

  11 Not only will these cultures: George Thomson, “The Irish Language Revival,” p. 11.

  12 There seemed no need for the question-mark: KathFrag.

  13 A photograph from this period: W. J. West, in The Truth About Hollis: An Investigation (London: Duckworth, 1989).

  14 I had a rather … her individualism is untenable: Thomson to Katharine, Sept. 11, 1937, Thomson Archives.

  15 Teach the barbarians: Quoted in KathFrag.

  16 We were both glad to get away: KathFrag.

  17 Common distaste: Thomson, “Note on Wittgenstein,” Thomson Archives.

  18 Surrealist painters: See Surrealism in Birmingham, 1935–1954, publication accompanying exhibit at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery, Dec. 9, 2000–March 11, 2001.

  19 Here I am: Thomson to Katharine, Jan. 11, 1937, Thomson Archives.

  20 Homer on Mondays: Date books, George Thomson, University of Birmingham Special Collections.

  21 Bound notebook: Courtesy of Eileen Naughten.

  22 Most valuable of the legacies: Review of Thomson’s The “Oresteia” of Aeschylus, D. W. Lucas, The Nineteenth Century, vol. 125, no. 744, 1939, p. 231.

  23 Direct, fluent, and dignified: Review of Thomson’s “The Oresteia of Aeschylus,” Times Literary Supplement, Nov. 12, 1938.

  24 The primitive collectivism: Joseph Needham, “Historical Materialism and the Ancient World,” journal article, no other information, p. 231.

  25 Notebooks he began to keep: University of Birmingham Special Collections.

  26 Blasket influence: George Thomson to Hubert Butler, July 21, 1951: “It has always seemed to me that Irish literature is a goldmine for the study of primitive society, but unfortunately very few of those who are qualified to study it know anything about primitive society, and so they don’t know what to look for” (10304/75/364/205–209, NatLib).

  27 My own knowledge … I am a fluent speaker: George Thomson, Aeschylus and Athens, p. 390.

  28 Almost every face … continuous sobbing: Ibid., p. 381.

  29 From the inside: Seaford, from unpaged online version.

  30 Special debt: George Thomson, Aeschylus and Athens, p. vii.

  31 Progressively shaped and polished: Quoted in Richard Martin, p. 88.

  32 Aesthetic judgments turn: George Thomson, Studies in Ancient Greeek Society, p. 539.

  33 Ragged peasants: Ibid., p. 540.

  34 The driest philologists: Alexiou, “George Thomson: The Greek Dimension,” p. 55.

  35 Indirectly but profoundly: Ibid., p. 57.

  36 I shall never forget: George Thomson, Marxism and Poetry, p. 5.

  37 Was something new in Irish literature: George Thomson, The Blasket Homer.

  38 The true bard of the Blaskets: Richard Martin, p. 91.

  12. N
O HERB OR REMEDY

  1 Above the marquee: McKenna, n.p.

  2 Helped settle Jewish refugees: KathFrag.

  3 Peace in our time: He was no hero to Thomson. In a letter to E. M. Forster on Sept. 23, George referred to a time “before Chamberlain’s airplane darkened the sky on its flight to Berchtesgaden,” going on to express his hope that the Czechs would fight Germany, Thomson Archives.

  4 Air-raid shelter: KathFrag.

  5 Showering blessings: George to Katharine, Nov. 1, 1939, Thomson Archives.

  6 That my services are indispensable: George to Katharine, April 18, 1939, Thomson Archives.

  7 They seemed … safe from the bombs: KathFrag.

  8 We have had it pretty hot here: Thomson to Mrs. Stewart, Oct. 1940, quoted in KathFrag.

  9 There was a terrific bang: Thomson to Mrs. Stewart, Oct. 27, 1940. Thomson Archives.

  10 And cowered in the scullery: Katharine to her mother, n.d., quoted in KathFrag.

  11 George remained … very lonely: KathFrag.

  12 Tell my factory friends that they were very kind and generous: Lís, Dec. 20[?], 1939, vol. 1944, p. 5.

  13 I was shocked … befel or nearly fell: Ibid., Oct. 30, 1940, vol. 1944, p. 9.

  14 We are not able … warming ourselves: LísLetters, p. 81.

  15 You would be surprised … no hope atall: LísLetters, pp. 81–82.

  16 Continued into the 1950s: The last letter in the Delargy collection seems to be one Lís wrote on March 11, 1957 (Lís, vol. 1945, p. 14G], reporting on daughter Niamh’s return from a trip.

  17 If my dreams … friend from London: Lís, March 4, 1935, vol. 1943, p. 45.

  18 They did not bring … with no pleasure in your own heart: Lís, April [15?], 1940, vol. 1944, p. 6.

  19 To hear all being well: Lís, May 6, 1940, vol. 1944, p. 7.

  20 Inscribed copy of Maurice O’Sullivan’s newly published book: Pierre-Yves Lambert to Bo Almqvist, n.d. [c. Sept. 2004], Almqvist papers.

  21 It did her the greatest honor: Vendryes, p. 432.

  22 At the time of the French defeat: “She was a victim of 1940,” that iconic year of France’s debasement and defeat. Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, 35

  23 A too-late departure: Quoted in Celtic, p. 122.

  24 Shaded and softened: Ibid., p. 123.

  25 She married Louis Renou: Francoise Bader, “Une anamnése littéraire D’E. Benveniste,” in Incontri Linguistici, vol. 22 (1999), Pisa, Roma: Istituti Editoriali e Poligrafici Internazionali, p. 23.

  26 Out a window: Bo Almqvist, interview.

  27 She submitted herself: Celtic, p. 122.

  28 I felt … lonely tragedy: Quoted in Mac Conghail, “Brian Ó Ceallaigh,” p. 186.

  29 The well itself: Eoin MacNeill.

  30 His pen was sharp and he did not mince words: Copy of talk, n.a., “Carl Marstrander’s Work with the Manx Language,” Seán Ó Lúing papers, NatLib.

  31 All is first class: Celtic, p. 136.

  32 He never really believed: David Greene, “A Warm and Generous Friend,” p. 6.

  33 A fervent Norwegian patriot: Binchy, “Norse Scholar,” p. 6.

  34 Stopped near Gestapo headquarters: Oftedal to Ó Lúing, Oct. 11, 1983, Ó Lúing papers, NatLib.

  35 I am myself thinking of retiring: Flower to Best, Jan. 28, 1939, NatLib.

  36 The ghastly bombing: Flower to Best, Nov. 13, 1940, NatLib.

  37 He kept track of his career: For one example, see Flower to Best, March 4, 1913, Nat Lib: “I’m on private time. I am describing a collection of illuminated mss for which work I have to get £1500, a very satisfactory scale of pay. But the work is very heavy and keeps my nose down on the grindstone. Still it frees me of any financial cares and that is a great deal.”

  38 I know … difficulties of the life artistic: Flower to Best, May 21, 1939, NatLib.

  39 My prospects are good: Flower to Best, July 3, 1921, NatLib.

  40 Were heavy and confining: Robinson, p. 543.

  41 He was more remarkable: Bell, p. 374.

  42 He could never resist the attraction of a new interest: Ibid., p. 369.

  43 The cares … jests with everyone: Celtic, p. 228.

  44 He accepted their ways: Seán Ó Criomhthain, obituary of Flower written in Irish, trans. Flower’s daughter Barbara, Lís, vol. 1944, pp. 129–32.

  45 He was big-hearted: Ibid.

  46 I would confide … I would not reveal to the priest: Ann Lucey, “How Flower Made an Island Bloom,” Blasket Centre.

  47 I have had rather a worse time: Robin Flower to Idris Bell, Oct. 10, 1911.

  48 I have been ill of late: Flower to Best, July 3, 1921, NatLib.

  49 I am feeling ill with overwork: Flower to Best, July 9, 1929, NatLib.

  50 Great hardship: Lís, Oct. 2, 1941, vol. 1944, p. 77.

  51 Sock-knitting machines: Keogh, p. 56. See also Tyers, West Kerry Camera, p. 170.

  52 The young women weren’t willing: Ó Floinn, in Reflections.

  53 At present nobody thinks of marrying: LísLetters, p. 22.

  54 Of men who are more lonely: Lís, Oct. 30, 1940, vol. 1944, p. 9.

  55 Black cloud: LísLetters, p. 84.

  56 It’s a hopeless, fruitless year: Ibid.

  57 So picture our Island home sinking from day to day: Ibid., p. 85.

  58 And left the three … run wild with the rabbits: Ibid., p. 86.

  59 This is the last winter here for me: Séan O’Crohan, A Day in Our Life, p. 27.

  60 We have determined at last to leave this lovely Island: LísLetters, p. 87.

  61 I don’t miss: Ibid., p. 92.

  62 “The Song of the Island Girl”: Chambers, p. 7.

  63 I was very very lonely: Lís, Sept. 22, 1950, vol. 1945, p. 22.

  64 Where is the snow?: Robin Flower, The Western Island, p. viii. (George Chambers encouraged Flower to write The Western Island. See Patrick Flower, p. 42.)

  65 I am still a very long way from actual recovery: Flower to Best, Jan. 21, 1945, NatLib.

  66 Didn’t recognize them: Mrs. Flower to Best [?], March 5, 1946, NatLib.

  67 I was so sad: Lís, Feb. 10, 1946, vol. 1944, p. 127.

  68 It was a cause of grief … no herb or remedy: Appended to Lís, April 7, 1946, vol. 1944, p. 129.

  69 To this day I can recall the modest comfort: Mahon, p. 138.

  70 It’s going downhill: Appended to Lís, April 7, 1946, vol. 1944, p. 132.

  71 Was no place at all: Seán Ó Guithín interview, in Memories, p. 161.

  72 Loneliness is accentuated: Quoted in Keogh, p. 54.

  73 With most of the island community helpless at his bedside: Mícheal de Mórdha, “Bereavement and Bravery on the Great Blasket,” An Caomhnóir, 2007.

  74 Resettle its inhabitants: See Keogh.

  75 Two men from the ‘Land Commission’: Lís, May 20, 1953, vol. 1945, p. 30.

  76 I’d go down to the slip: Ó Floinn, in Reflections.

  77 A black gloom: Feiritéar.

  13. THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN

  1 A U.S. Passport: Kindly furnished by Kathleen Arduini.

  2 First went to work: Interview with Sister Mary Justin, Sisters of Providence, who furnished Mary Kearney’s record of ministries.

  3 Infectious laugh: “Excerpts from the Homily of Rev. Robert W. Thrasher at Sister M. Clemens’ Mass,” Providence Mother House, Jan. 15, 1987, courtesy of Kathleen Arduini.

  4 Troubles: Ibid.

  5 One of Pats Kearney’s daughters: Lís, May 13, 1951, vol. 1945, p. 5.

  6 Laid to rest: Thanks to Seán Cahillane for help in finding her grave.

  7 Convened a reunion: Account follows Biuso, “The Poet’s Ring.”

  8 A tough, hard lady: Feiritéar, interview. Kathleen Arduini remembers her aunt as “a toughie, really a tomboy.”

  9 Trip to America: Account follows Ray Stagles, “A 26-Years Journey”; Stagles, audiotape interview and interviews with the author.

  10 He listened very intently: Interview with person who req
uests anonymity.

  11 Loud and incessantly: KathFrag.

  12 Her most loving memories: Margaret Alexiou, interviews; also Alexiou, in Eighty.

  13 Indistinguishable from the theory and practice of fascism: Thomson to F. M. Cornford, series of letters, 1941, Thomson Archives. In 1986, Katharine and George sent photocopies of the correspondence to Cornford’s son Christopher, who replied: “I found myself turning my head left and right like a spectator at a Wimbledon final, admiring the deftness & power of each shot & each recovery: also moved by the mutual respect, affection & good humour shown by both players.”

  14 Exploiting wage labour: Thomson to Christopher Hill, May 1946, Thomson Archives.

  15 You’ve got the words: Margaret Alexiou, interview.

  16 Yesterday evening: Thomson, China journal, June 16, 1955, Thomson Archives.

  17 See how my vision of the Blasket: Enright, p. 150.

  18 My mind was carried back: Thomson, China journal, n.d., Thomson Archives.

  19 Would never commit … hear how it sounded: Enright, “George Thomson: A Memoir,” p. 126.

  20 Which has healed the breach: Thomson to Pádraig Ó Fiannachta, June 21, 1976, Thomson Archives.

  21 Troy seen in the morning of the world: Ireland, p. 100.

  22 Baking classes: Nuala Uí Aimhirgín, interviews; similar account by Cáit Bean Uí Mhaoilchiaráin [Maurice’s wife], in Memories, p. 177.

  23 Fine block of a man: Cáit Bean Uí Mhaoilchiaráin interview in Memories, 178.

  24 Has not done harm: Forster to Thomson, May 13, 1934, Thomson Archives.

  25 The chattering: Memories, 180.

  26 Of course, Dónal spoke: Reflections, p. 46.

  27 Couldn’t understand a word: Memories.

  28 They would have … dance till morning: George to Katharine, Sept. 13, 1937, Thomson Archives.

  29 Heartbroken at leaving Kerry: Katharine Thomson to her mother, Aug. 11, 1935, Thomson Archives.