Our first Field Day of 2010 was one of poignant and sad remembrance as we recalled the Arranmore disaster in this the 75th anniversary of that awful tragedy. For any emigrant, homecoming is the most joyful emotion, an experience shared by the entire family at home waiting with anticipation and excitement. What presents from Glasgow would be in their suitcases? What football matches had they been to and would relate to their their younger siblings? What films did they enjoy seeing in Scotland?
On Saturday evening, November 9th 1935, 19 islanders perished in the sea just off Arranmore on the last leg of their homeward journey, having spent the previous months tattie-hoking (harvesting potatoes) in Scotland. There was just one survivor, Patrick Gallagher. “The whole island was weeping,” wrote Barney Gallagher in his book, ‘Arranmore Links’ . Barney was an islander and was there at the time.
Our Field Day began in the Ionad Culturlann, part of the island co-operative’s holiday village, with an illustrated talk by Seán Boner about the disaster. We then walked the short distance to the graveyard to visit the mass grave in which 17 of the victims lie buried. Its location is close to the Chapel strand, the mainland in the distance and numerous islands in between. Sadly, not all the bodies were recovered.
We strolled from there along a path close to the shore, past the old graveyard they call ‘the Caiseal’ which brought us to St. Crone’s, the beautiful island church and inside Seán gave us a brief history of the church. It was built in 1825 as a barn style church but extended into a cruciform structure in 1917. We were then bussed to the lighthouse, originally built in 1798, and we were fortunate to be able to enter and climb up the narrow spiral staircase to experience a truly magnificent view. Some of the more intrepid of the group went down a few of the cliff steps, certainly not an experience for the faint-hearted.
Thanks
Finally, on to the Glen Hotel for another very welcome view – copious amounts of tea and sandwiches! The hotel itself is steeped in history; it was once the home or ‘The Big House’ of the island landlord, John Stoupe Charley and the building, on a slight rise overlooking the sea, still retains its old-world atmosphere.
The highest degree of thanks is extended to everyone on Arranmore who made the Field Day so memorable: the staff we met at the Coop, on the Siob buses, up at the lighthouse, at the Glen Hotel and on the fast ferry. And of course, a special word of thanks to Seán Boner, our guide and seanchai for the occasion, himself a native of Arranmore and whose father Packie taught for many years at Aphort school..