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Beaver Island

Cover Photo
Beaver Island Cover Photo

Beaver Island

Gaeilge

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English

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Le blianta fada tá dlúthbhaint idir Oileán Árainn Mhór agus Beaver Island i Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá. Cé go bhfuil siad scartha ag farraige leathan an Atlantaigh, tá dáimh ar leith idir an dá oileán. Thosaigh an nasc seo in aimsir an Ghorta Mhóir nuair a chuaigh na céadtaí ar imirce go Meiriceá le fáil ar shiúl ón ocras agus ón bhochtaineacht.(wave noise) Rinne go leor daoine ó chladaí agus ó oileáin na Rosa a mbealach go cladaí na Locha Móra i Meiriceá, áit ar chuir siad futhu le dhul i gceann saoil níos fearr. Tá sé le feiceáil ón léarscáil de Beaver Island agus ó na logainmneacha Gaelacha atá ann go raibh tionchar mhór ag cóilíneacht na n-imirceach sin ar an oileán. Is docha go raibh cuid mhaith den mhuintir a bhí ag fágáil Árainn Mhór den chéad uair i bhfabhar imeachta le fáil ar shiúl ón chruatan agus ón ocras a d’fhulaing siad sna blianta i ndiaidh an Ghorta. B’fhéidir go raibh sé éasca dóibhsean an cinneadh a dhéanamh an baile a fhágáil. Ach bhí tiarna talaimh úr ar tí imirce a bhrú orthu anois dá n-ainneoin agus ní bheadh an dara suí sa bhuaile acu ach Árainn Mhór a fhágáil. Sa bhliain 1849, dhíol an Marquis Conyngham oileán Árainn Mhór le John Stoupe Charley ar chostas £5000. Ní amháin gur cheannaigh Charley an t-oileán, cheannaigh sé riaráiste cíosa na dtionóntaí chomh maith - £912 19s. 7d. Ina iomláine. Chuirfeadh Charley na fiacha ar ceal do thionónta ar bith a raibh riaráiste le híoc aige dá mbeadh sé sásta glacadh le saorthaisteal go Ceanada, le cois bia agus éadach don turas. Ach bhí coinníoll i gceist; chaithfeadh an teaghlach uilig imeacht sa dóigh nach mbeadh duine ar bith acu fágtah le bheith ina ualach ar dhaoine eile (cead slán ar …glantan glas goth dobhair). Sa bhliain 1866, chuaigh 160 duine díreach as Árainn Mhór go Beaver Island agus arís in 1884 chuaigh 96 duine anonn faoin scéim “imirce in aisce” a bhí stiúir Chuallacht na gCairde.

For generations a bond has existed between Arranmore island, CO Donegal and Beaver Island in the USA. Although physically separated by the Atlantic, the two islands are inextricably linked. These links were forged during the years of the Great Hunger when hoards of people fled from all parts of Ireland, to escape poverty and starvation and emigrated to the USA. Many of those who emigrated from along the Rosses shores and islands, made their way to the shores of the Great Lakes in the USA where they settled and made new lives for themselves. The colonisation of Beaver Island by these early Irish settlers is evident from the map of Beaver island with so many place names bearing the surnames of these early settlers. For those leaving Ireland for the First time, the prospect of escaping the hardship, hunger and suffering that they were forced to endure in Arranmore in the years following the famine would have been an attractive one. The decision to leave may have been an easy decision to make, but a new landlord was about to impose emigration upon them, leaving them with no option but to leave Arranmore. In 1849, the Marquis of Conyngham sold Arranmore island. John Stoup Charley purchased the island at a cost of £5000. As well as buying the island, Charley also bought the tenants arrears of rent which amounted to £912 19s 7d. All of those who had rent arrears were given the opportunity to avail of free travel to Canada, as well as food and clothing for the journey. Those who chose to go had their debt written off, but there was a condition imposed upon them- the whole family had to leave. This was to ensure that there would be no one remaining who would be a burden to others. A group of 160 travelled directly to Beaver from Arranmore in 1851. In 1884, a group of 96 arrived directly from Arranmore under the Free Emigrations Scheme, which was supervised by the Quakers or Society of Friends. Alan Lomax recorded music from these settlers in the 1930’s and 1940’s and these recordings are available through the National Library of Congress Archive.

Seo Árainn Mhór

The Seo Árainn Mhór mobile application is an Android and iOS app designed and developed on the island of Arranmore with one purpose: How do we make it simple for people, islanders and visitors alike, to discover Arranmore?

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Arranmore Ferry Mobile App, available on Android and iOS