Description
Inishsirrer Island, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland
Just beyond these restless waters, silently resting offshore northwest Donegal can be found the small island settlement of Inishsirrer. Once a thriving fishing community, today this island is sadly uninhabited. All that remains is a little ‘Ghost Town’ with its abandoned cottages, dry stone walls and harbour all echoing its once bustling past.
Several factors contributed to its overall abandonment. Mainly because the younger generations were either hired out to work, married off or sent further away to Scotland seeking work. The remaining elderly who lived off the land where unable to resume the hard life of fishing alone, so they re-homed on the mainland. Their well ran dry… so to speak.
Unfortunately for them, their little boats called ‘Currahs’ made from wood and cowhide could not carry much weight. This resulted in families having to leave all their heavy possessions and furniture behind. The homes on this island were left as they were, that day when the last residents of Inishsirrer rowed their currach boats away for the last time….
One can’t help but feel a strong sense of admiration towards this once hard-working community during the good times that have now long passed. Dancing across the waves could once be heard the sounds of dogs barking, chickens cooing, children laughing, fishermen singing now forgotten songs beneath squalling seagulls fighting for leftover fish from the daily catch. In the evening the crackling sounds and the smell of freshly lit turf fires from each cottage could be sensed from everywhere on this isle.
Nowadays these are mere echoes from the past, deep silence is all that comes from Inishsirrer anymore…… I hope these tales will never be forgotten and be passed down our generations through our stories, paintings and photography 
