Life and experiences Tomas O'Crohan

Ó criomhthain on irish postage stamp.

as fisherman, Ó criomhthain caught wide variety of seafood, including scad, pilchard, mackerel, cod, herring, halibut, pollock, bream, dogfish, ling, rockfish, wrasse, conger eel, porpoises ( sea pig , sea bonham – meat being described pork ), seals, crab, lobster, crayfish, limpets, winkles , mussels, seaweeds such dulse, sea lettuce, sea belt, , murlins. many on island relished seal meat more pork. 1 night Ó criomhthain , colleagues caught huge creature in nets great danger , difficulty. perhaps whale or basking shark. oil liver of unidentified great beast fuelled lamps on island 5 years (there 150 people in fewer 30 households).

Ó criomhthain harvested turf home fuel top of island , sods carried home ass. often, when set work cutting turf interrupted island poet distracted him teaching him lengthy songs. there comedy in Ó criomhthain s silent exasperation @ hours wasted, yet never snubbed poet fear damaging satire composed against him.

in addition fish , other sea fruit Ó criomhthain s diet included potatoes, milk, lumps of butter, porridge, bread, rabbits, sea birds, eggs, , mutton. few acres of arable land on island fertilised dung , seaweed, supplemented chimney-soot , mussel shells. limited crops sown included potatoes , few other vegetables, along oats , rye. island alive rabbits caught in great numbers , hunting assisted dogs or ferret. birds hunted meat , eggs included gulls, puffins, gannets, petrels, shearwaters, razorbills , guillemots.

the roof of home made of thatch of rushes or reeds , sisters climb collect eggs under hens nesting on top. 1 amusing episode in t-oileánach describes neighbour s family @ supper when, bewilderment , consternation, young chickens began raining, 1 one, onto table , splashing mug of milk. god s sake, cried woman of house, coming from? 1 of children spied hole scratched in roof mother hen.

Ó criomhthain lived in cottage or stone cabin hearth @ kitchen end , sleeping quarters @ other. feature of island life remarked upon mainland readers of books keeping of animals in kitchens @ night, including cows, asses, sheep, dogs, cats , hens.

he keen collector of old tales , described conversation between father , neighbour @ hearth 1 night. once when @ sea father, neighbour , other fishermen saw steamship sail by. had never seen 1 before , naturally assumed on fire. rowed after render assistance failed catch it.

the islanders meagre existence supplemented gifts sea when shipwrecks occurred. timber, copper , brass salvaged, cargoes of food such meal , wheat, helped them survive lean years. @ 1 time tea unknown on island , when cargo of stuff floated ashore wreck used 1 woman dye flannel petticoats (normally dyed woad). used feed pigs. neighbour incensed husband didn t bother salvage chest of useful stuff – had petticoats waiting dyed , hungry pigs feed. scolded husband severely quit island without word, never seen again. later, application tea leaves discovered , became popular drink human population.

Ó criomhthain ended t-oileánach statement final clause known , quoted in ireland:

—an t-oileánach, final chapter