Naomh Eanna Trust

05/01/2017

New year and new beginnings...

Sadly after a few recent events and with certain disappointments in mind, I have decided the time has finally come for me to retire from my volunteering work in running the Naomh Eanna Trust page.

As some of you may remember I also made this decision early last year, but as the type of person I am, I decided to give freely another year of my time to their cause. After 3 years now I feel that I have personally given it all I can to help the Naomh Eanna Trust.

So I would just like to take this moment to thank you for all your support since I took over their page in Feb 2014 and for all the photos, memories, kind words and friendship you have given me in that time, I would also like to wish good luck to all the other groups who show an interest in restoring the Naomh Eanna ship, for example Sam Corbett and the SOS save our ship group. There would be no one happier than me if restoring the old ship somehow does becomes reality, but sadly I have not received any type of news from anyone at all for some time now and I am as much in the dark as any of you, if that can, or will happen in the future.

Now, I've had a number of friends who have said it would be a crying shame to end some of our friendships and for the memories to end and I somewhat agree. So for the moment at least, I have decideded to start up my own personal page called The days of the Naomh Éanna, Ireland. So if you are interested, you are more than welcome to come along and be part of that page. I'm still playing with the name but the idea of my page will continue along the same lines of what I have done here over the last few years. Sharing my memories and yours with some (hopefully) interesting slices of history about the Aran Islands, Connemara and County Galway and a few about Dublin, who also has a strong link with the ship and have been very supportive towards me during the last few years.

Another emphasis of mine for this new page will be sharing and supporting Galway's very rich maritime history and heritage. Hopefully this year I may get to some of the Galway Ho**er regattas out in Connemara to meet some of the friends I have made with the crews over the last few years.

I am also interesting in supporting local artists, which again County Galway has in abundance of and a rich and beautiful history. Art has always been something close to my heart and maybe with me gaining back some free time with this decision, I may even myself find the time to start painting again and be able to add a few of my own paintings one day soon.

There are a few other plans for the future which could be exciting news but I will see how the new page goes and how you enjoy it before I make any decision on pushing these plans further.

Although I won't be able to put in the same amount of time in making as many regular posts as I have here for the Naomh Eanna Trust over the years, I do intend, if I can, to run this page better, Introduce some new things, think of ways in making certain photos and posts easier to find through regions and interest when visiting the page and start up a proper webpage (we can see how it goes). Basically I am all ears of places and things you would like to see more of, so please feel free to give me any input. My page as I intended this one to be is for you the people more than anything else and to support these unique and special communities of the west of Ireland.

Thank you for your time and hopefully the new things will lead to a brighter future and something even better.

Best wishes,
Mark

and for anyone interested a link to my new page:
https://www.facebook.com/The-Days-of-the-MV-Naomh-Éanna-813295672142341/

31/12/2016

Bliain nua faoi mhaise daoibh.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year. I hope your 2017 will be filled with much peace, good health and happiness

30/12/2016

Poem: Cuireadh do Mhuire / An Invitation to Mary.
Máirtín Ó Direáin (1910 – 1988), the great poet from the village of Sruthán on Inis Mór (Inishmore), Aran Islands, wrote the poem ‘Cuireadh do Mhuire’ at Christmas in 1942.

Photo: Madonna, Inis Meáin Inishmaan), Aran Islands by Josef Tornick.

Cuireadh do Mhuire

An eol duit, a Mhuire,
Cá rachair i mbliana
Ag iarraidh foscaidh
Dod leanbh Naofa,
Tráth bhfuil gach doras
Dúnta ina éadan
Ag fuath is uabhar
An chine daonna?

Deonaigh glacadh
Le cuireadh uaimse
Go hoileán mara
San iarthar chianda:
Beidh coinnle geala
I ngach fuinneoig lasta
Is tine mhóna
Ar theallach adhanta.

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English translation:
An Invitation to Mary

Do you know, O Mary,
Where you will go this year
To look for shelter
For your Holy Infant,
At a time when every door
Is shut in his face
By the hate and the pride
Of human kind?

Be pleased to accept
An invitation from me
To an island in the sea
Far away in the west:
There will be bright candles
Lighting in every window
And a turf fire
Blazing in the hearth.

© Photo with many thanks and copyright to Josef Tornick.
Follow Josef Tornick on http://josefskye.tumblr.com/
or contact: [email protected]

29/12/2016

Hundreds of locals including some veteran boatmen, gathered on Sruthán Pier in An Cheathrú Rua in County Galway, to wish the Galway ho**er Clíona well as she embarked upon her non-stop journey to New York. June 1986.

Hundreds of locals including some veteran boatmen, gathered on Sruthán Pier in An Cheathrú Rua in County Galway, to wish the Galway ho**er Clíona well as she embarked upon her non-stop journey to New York.

28/12/2016

Galway Ho**ers Berthed at Sruthan Pier, Carraroe, Co. Galway
by Ivan Sutton (Irish, born 1944)
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About the artist

Ivan Sutton (born 1944) Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, Ireland and is a full member of Visual Artists Ireland. He paints with brush or palette knife encompassing a simple technique, to give the viewer a blend of tone, mood and colour with a balance of representative and semi-abstract paintings.

Ivan Sutton likes to paint boats, harbour scenes, people in art galleries, still life and musicians at work. His Art Book “Sutton at Sixty”, 120 page hardback, is available from most good bookshops.

Ivan’s works are currently in private collections in Canada, USA, Belgium, France, UK and throughout Ireland. Several large Irish companies possess his works as well as the Irish Government. Ivan creates an image in a relaxed manner which will be a reference in time to come.

28/12/2016

Johnny Bailey and the crew of the Galway ho**er 'Capall' leaves Sruthan pier in Connemara with its load of turf.

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Photo with thanks and copyright to Joe St Leger which feature in his documentary "BÁDÓIRÍ – Photographing the last of the Galway Ho**er men". For more information you can contact Joe at: [email protected]

28/12/2016

Marcus and Joseph Cloherty, third generation boat builders on Mweenish Island, Connemara.

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Photo with thanks and copyright to Joe St Leger which feature in his documentary "BÁDÓIRÍ – Photographing the last of the Galway Ho**er men". For more information you can contact Joe at: [email protected]

28/12/2016

Galway ho**ers gather at Sruthan pier in Connemara for a turf race to Kinvara in 1986.

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Photo with thanks and copyright to Joe St Leger which feature in his documentary "BÁDÓIRÍ – Photographing the last of the Galway Ho**er men". For more information you can contact Joe at: [email protected]

28/12/2016

Members of the Bailey family loading sods of turf onto their old Galway ho**er 'Capall' at Sruthan pier in Connemara in 1984.
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Photo with thanks and copyright to Joe St Leger which feature in his documentary "BÁDÓIRÍ – Photographing the last of the Galway Ho**er men". For more information you can contact Joe at: [email protected]

28/12/2016

Brothers Padraig and Johnny Bailey on board the Galway ho**er 'Capall' at Sruthan, Connemara in 1984.
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Photo with thanks and copyright to Joe St Leger which feature in his documentary "BÁDÓIRÍ – Photographing the last of the Galway Ho**er men". For more information you can contact Joe at: [email protected]

28/12/2016

Padraig Bailey making tea on a small turf fire set in the hold of the Galway ho**er 'Capall' in 1984.
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Photo with thanks and copyright to Joe St Leger which feature in his documentary "BÁDÓIRÍ – Photographing the last of the Galway Ho**er men". For more information you can contact Joe at: [email protected]