Inis Meáin (Inishmaan): Background information when reading The Dazzling Truth

Inis Meáin (Inishmaan)

This article relates to The Dazzling Truth

Inis Óg, the island home of the Moone family in The Dazzling Truth, might be a fictional location, but exploring the real small coastal islands of Ireland can offer an idea of what it would be like to live where the characters do. Well-known examples include the Aran Islands, three limestone islands known individually as Inis Mór (Inishmore), Inis Meáin (Inishmaan) and Inis Oírr (Inisheer). With their total population hovering at around one thousand, the islands are sparsely inhabited by humans but boast a wide variety of flora and fauna.

The least populated of the Islands, and likely the closest representation of the fictional Inis Óg, is Inis Meáin, which has around 200 residents. Residents still speak Irish Gaelic, and their reliance upon ancient traditions and the fishing trade can provide visitors a window into times past and a vision of how beautiful a simple life can be. With hand-stacked stone walls, plenty of cormorants and endangered Arctic terns flying overhead, this 3.5 square mile island is often described as a place frozen in time.

Inis Meáin is not only special for its culture and timelessness, but also because the unusual and very temperate climate on the island allows for an interesting combination of plant life rarely seen in one place. Mediterranean, Arctic and alpine plants can all be found at various locations on Inis Meáin, along with more common Irish grasses, harebells, red clover, orchids and other beautiful wildflowers.

The atmosphere of the Aran Islands has served as inspiration for several notable artists and writers, including WB Yeats and James Joyce. However, it is John Millington Synge, Irish playwright, poet and prose writer, who is perhaps best known for having made Inis Meáin his muse. Synge was very fond of each of the Aran Islands but maintained a special affinity for Inis Meáin. He made the first of many trips to a small, thatched-roof cottage owned by Brid and Paidin MacDonagh on the island in 1898. The restored cottage still stands today as Teach Synge — a museum that showcases Synge's photographs, letters and drawings.

While it is true that Inis Meáin rejects many of the trappings of modern life found on the mainland, the small island has a primary and secondary school, a public library, a small knitwear company, a couple of pubs and a small boutique hotel with a restaurant attached. The landscape, isolation and minimalist lifestyle may not appeal to everyone, but as Tarlach de Blácam, the co-owner of the Inis Meáin Knitting Company, explains to WSJ Magazine, "We want pilgrims to come here, not tourists." Although the residents of Inis Meáin are warm, welcoming hosts to visitors who come bearing respect for the nature and history of the island, maintaining balance in their small community and honoring traditional ways of life remain of primary importance.

Inishmaan Habour, by johnpiaskowski (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Filed under Places, Cultures & Identities

This article relates to The Dazzling Truth. It first ran in the October 7, 2020 issue of BookBrowse Recommends.