A Future For Cape Clear, Co. Cork, Ireland 1970

Cape Clear must adapt to survive but what will change mean for the traditional way of life on the island?
The Gaeltacht Island of Cape Clear nine miles from Baltimore off the County Cork coast is battling for survival. Over a ten year period one fifth of its population has left for the mainland, Britain or the United States of America. The population has declined from 600 at turn of the 20th century to 200 in 1970.
Cape Clear is the only island off the south coast retaining Irish as it’s language but by 1990, like the Blasket Islands, it could become deserted.
Keeping Cape Clear Irish in language and character and guarding its traditions is a priority for islanders such as the island’s priest an tAthair Tomás Ó Murchú. He says people want a future but like the rest of the population they need, services, electricity, running water and jobs. For too long,
We have been the negroes of Ireland we have been the neglected people of Ireland, we have been the people who have got the short end of the stick we are the people who have been deprived of everything while the rest of the population have got what they needed.
The national school on the island is also in decline and children must leave to receive second level education. Those who depart rarely return, the primary school teacher Ciarán O Reagan being an exception to the trend. Other emigrants return to look after elderly family members.
District nurse Bean Uí Fhinn is originally from Leap in County Cork. She sees 70 patients a week on the island but does not have a dispensary and current hospital services are inadequate for isolated islanders.
Survival for the island means the twin issues of unemployment and emigration need to be tackled, but industrialisation will mean more visitors and cause decline of the Irish language.
For an tAthair Tomás Ó Murchú progress and protecting their traditional way of life is a balancing act, requiring a clear plan with government action rather than empty promises about safeguarding the Irish language.
This episode of ‘7 Days’ was broadcast on 2 June 1970. The reporter is Bill O’Herlihy.

[@extanegautham8950]

a spent 5 days in cape clear in september. i loved it...though after the lush greenery of kerry, it was very austere...the stone walls were incredibly beautiful, at sunrise and sunset really transcendental......i bought a bunch of groceries by the pier, and asked the proprieter if it was ok to leave them against the side of the building. she looked up at the gulls nearby, and said, "its ok w/me, but not with them...those birds have abolutely no scruples!..come in and leave it inside." typical irish wit...

[@BigB-qk6zh]

Brilliant video, thanks C.R

[@JesseP.Watson]

Wow, again, these films are just so well made... every shot a work of art. So much in that film but...That old fellow covering his face in shyness at the camera like a little boy just said it all... Ach, a glimpse of another world indeed. ...If someone could translate what is being said about that stone around the 8:50 mark I'd be very grateful too, I'm interested in ancient stoneworks and that looked like a living tradition around that one there.

[@christianapluma7103]

Those were marriage stones or also engagement stones the women would place their hand through and if the man would be on the other side. It was also a form of hand fasting. They are all over ireland

[@MariaMartinez-kg6ns]

Thank you for the video

[@christianapluma7103]

My ancestor was Cornelius curly Burke and Johanna Mahoney of Capeclear Ireland their sons were the 5 burke boys who immigrated to the us in 1848. They also had a daughter name Mary. When Johanna died he married Mary Daly and more children. My great great uncle Fr. Maurice Dennis Burke and he published a genealogical study on the Burkes and Smithwicks and other of the family connections of Capeclear ireland. My grandma Irma Jean Burke when with her family from the us and had a family reunion in Capeclear in 1988. they were in the paper I believe the cork examiner. I hope to one day go to Capeclear Ireland and go to the marriage stones and renew my vows with my husband.

[@jangowan5742]

Well I see that was some yrs ago..Nearest towns on the mainland are Baltimore or Schuller,booming places..I remember John Willie Nolan running the ferry from Baltimore to Cape,who would let me on for free on many occasions..and then there was Sherkin Island near by, where the lovely Miss o'neill ran the school,and gave us an insight into the history of the place..Great place to do Wind-surfing

[@maxpower1337]

Great video ☺️

[@PDScally]

I remember going to the island back in the '70s on that boat the Naomh Ciaran.

[@paulseoighemcgee5772]

Is é dualgas naofa an fhíor-gael ár dteanga a labhairt .... it is the sacred duty of the true ghaeil to speak our language . le meas , séala xx

[@christianapluma7103]

My family burke ancestors lived there and I'm am trying to learn the language.

[@kerricollins5363]

My gran is from there and went back there to retire. I visited it was beautiful.

[@lekal6247]

How many are still living there?

[@kerricollins5363]

Many cousins and grans sister recently passed

[@jonjo6tie]

My ancestors were from Glen Middle & Lissamona on Cape.

[@subtlestevey09]

Guarding the heritage and traditions,, something varadkar and co I trying to eradicate at the moment

[@acb7074]

The destruction of rural Island so the corporations and the rich can come in and take over.

[@songsandstories7486]

Great story telling events every year. Was there about 20 years ago and got banned for getting absolutely rat arsed and wrecking a room. Wonder if I could sneak in now

[@obkb1150]

I wish there would have been subtitles for the Irish-language parts.

[@joedennehy386]

Same

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

If i was a very rich man I would like to buy the beautiful boat Naomh Ciarán' I would set sail from Cape Clear, Co. Cork and would sail across the 7 seas, I return later in the hope of seeing the young Father Jack Hackett in a happier mood and that most of his and all the people of this island wishes had come true

[@joedennehy386]

You probably wouldn't have to be that rich to buy an uninhabited island

[@brianm2881]

What's the name of the tune played on the accordion during the first bit of the video?

[@fiontanomeachair1048]

Bean dubh a' ghleanna

[@noelmaher4633]

The intellectuals in Donnybrook would bemoan the loss of this now, but do nothing to save it..Tub et al would gleely inform you it was the best weekend of his entire life...Darcy couldn't get yeast for sourdough, but would forego it for weekend of crying on radio..Kathryn made friends for life.. Yada Yada..

[@dellhell8842]

Great drone footage for 1970.😉

[@johnloftus8920]

🙂👌✌👍

[@allisonschneider924]

I live in New England and want to move here.

[@faelan1950]

Ag féachaint dom ar an bhfíseán so, is deocair liom a chreidiúint an díobháil a dhein an Drochshaol d'Éirinn agus dá hoileáin. Do bhí os cionn 1,000 duine ina gcónaí ar an oileán so i 1841, ach tá breis is 100 duine anois ann. Táimíd beannaithe go bhfuil aoinne fós ann is dócha, is nár lean an t-oileán so ar lorg na mBlascaodaí. Tá'n áit sin bánaithe ar fad, monuar.

[@davedriscoll1652]

Beautiful vintage film, my dad used talk about the island when i was little, God bless him. I wish that i had seen the day when he made the journey from the states, but he never had the chance. God bless you for posting this, i can almost here my dad telling me stories of SW Cork, that his grandpa told him. Thankyou.

[@Ig12364]

Bought a tractor from a man who lives there recently he says 150 still live there. Decent people.

[@joedennehy386]

People go away for a better life, and as a 4th generation New Zealander, with my family coming from county Cork, I'm very glad they did.

[@caracortage3270]

A New Zealand fascist!

[@choctaw6838]

Young Father Jack Hackett was very angry

[@eileenmoynihan264]

An t'athair an Murchú

[@BirdFlypath]

I wonder what effect Covid will have ?

[@eileenmoynihan264]

Mainly hitting tourism I would imagine.

[@coughlantom4139]

Tomas O Murchu...a great leader that did so much to develop & save the island

[@lekal6247]

Anyone know the name of the priest?

[@fiontanomeachair1048]

An tAthair Tomás Ó Murchú measaim.

[@moonlightttt156]

Only problem is the Irish language is no use in rest of world .so I never bothered to learn it

[@moonlightttt156]

@@carpe1959 silly it same as ur name on here fake

[@moonlightttt156]

@@carpe1959 ur boring me now u silly fool I'm Irish ask ir mother

[@beautifulspirit7420]

What happened to Cape Clear?

[@nmatthew7469]

It's unclear. Apologies, too easy, you just teed it up for me.

[@RebelAndroid021]

Clear Island or Cape Clear Island is an island off the south-west coast of County Cork in Ireland. It is the southernmost inhabited part of Ireland and has a population of 147 people. It is an official Gaeltacht area, and most inhabitants speak Irish and English.

[@dellhell8842]

@Beautiful Spirit It didn't die. Electric power from mainland was cabled there in 1995, replacing local generators.

[@beautifulspirit7420]

@@dellhell8842 good to know, I imagined if people managed to hang on through the 70s & 80s it got a huge resurgence of interest.

[@dellhell8842]

@@beautifulspirit7420 Details here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Clear_Island

[@drumnoisemccringlelovins4621]

A little rough on the cattle there that’s the sad thing about this story the cattle are the real slaves if you think of it really ; Ireland is like a microcosm of the worlds problems now…..kind of interesting but it’s a rough scrape , Irish history is full of hungry poor times it does make me feel a special kinship with all Irish ya see that on a lot of island life it becomes tense and competitive I think they need more weed lol

[@drumnoisemccringlelovins4621]

They need a proper dispensary hehe they could use the cow poop to grow the weed lol

[@jangowan5742]

It's a pity ,as the population was at one time about 2000,and the Cape people were very self-sufficient,and proud...I always say that the Famine,started a Culture of immigration,which still goes on in a smaller scale,.even though the life is good in Ireland even better than many countries