Going Offshore - The Islands of Ireland

In these affluent, pampered times, its hard to imagine what drew the followers of St Anthony to the remote, storm-tossed seas off western Ireland to make their home on the barren rocks of Skellig Michael. Sure, they were tough times in the 6th century, but to see their tiny beehive cells perched precariously on the steep slope gives a whole new meaning to austerity.

They are a breed apart, island folk. And yet, in many ways they are the heart and soul of all that is Irish. Take for instance the people of Inishmaan droll, warm-hearted farming types who seem oblivious to tourism, yet are exceedingly welcoming of visitors. Or the ruggedly independent Tory Islanders. Inhabited for over 4500 years Tory has its own dialect, but it is perhaps best known for its naive (or outsider) artists, many of whom have attracted the attention of international collectors. The islands are ideal for those wishing to get in touch with real Irish culture, walk and cycle at leisure, and perhaps learn a little of the Irish language.

Island nights are long and island communities close-knit, so its no wonder that Irelands most southerly island, Clear Island, excels at the art of storytelling. As the nights begin to shorten from late August to early September, the Cape Clear Island International Storytelling Festival brings hundreds of people to the island to celebrate the gift of the gab.

For all the resourcefulness of the Irish, there is a limit to which even the hardiest soul will tolerate hardship. The Blasket Islands are the most westerly islands in Europe. All of the Blaskets were inhabited at one time or another there is evidence of Great Blasket being inhabited during the Iron Age but the last islanders left for the mainland in 1953 after the remaining inhabitants agreed that it was no longer feasible to live in such remote and harsh conditions. Even Skellig Michael was eventually abandoned, in the 12th century, because of increasingly ferocious Atlantic storms. Today these islands invite you to explore their rugged, rock-strewn landscapes and breathe the brisk Atlantic air as you ponder the tenacity of Europe's remotest inhabitants.