Ionad an Bhlascaoid Mhóir - The Blasket Centre
The Blasket Centre on the mainland in Dún Chaoin on the tip of the Dingle Peninsula is a fascinating heritage centre/museum honouring the unique community who lived on the remote Blasket Islands until their evacuation in 1953.
The Blasket Centre tells the story of island life, subsistence fishing and farming, traditional life including modes of work and transport, home life, housing and entertainment. The Centre details the community’s struggle for existence, their language and culture, and the extraordinary literary legacy they left behind- classics such as ‘The Islandman’, ‘Twenty Years A-Growing’ and ‘Peig’. Their story is told using a variety of means - exhibitons, interactive displays, artefacts, audio visual presentations and artworks. ‘The next best thing to a visit to the Island!’
For more information and to arrange a visit go to http://www.heritageireland.ie/...
The OPW offers free access to all OPW managed Heritage Sites to school-going children under their Free Schools Visits programme. This Programme is intended to support the educational curriculum and children can, with their teachers, engage with many relevant aspects of their learning including art, history and social science at these historic & heritage locations throughout the country.
Text and image courtesy of Heritage Ireland.