Ail Irish Eden

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 276, 22 November 1935, Page 10

Ail Irish Eden

ARRIVAL OF FIRST CAR Dr. Francis Gallagher, resident doctor of the wind-swept island of Aranmore, live miles off the coast of Donegal, and often for months at a time inaccessible from tho mainland—has bought a car. To Englishmen that fact does not sound of vital interest, but tho COO inhabitants of Aranmore are worried. The car is the first four-wheel vehicle over to have used tho island 'roads," and the doctor is regarded as having developed “dangerously modern tendencies." Mr. Anthony O’Donnell, ■ prominent island' resident, and direct dcscendent of tho famous Irish chieftain Red Hue O’Donnell, said to a “Sunday Times" representative;— “The motive power on this island is carried out by a pack of 200 donkeys. Although Aranmoro is nine miles Img and five miles broad, tho donkeys are allowed to find their own homo once tho day’s work is done, no matter ui what part of the island they may be at the time. “Can tho new car steer itself like that?" he asked. ‘‘A lot of us hero think that the donkeys will kick the doctor’s car off tho roads." But, as these are roads in name alone, the doctor is not worrying. He understands the temperament of these men of Aranmore, who spend much of their lives battling against the fury of Atlantic gales, and who know neither lamps, telephones, nor even police supervision. Living by Barter. Actual money is rarely used by tho islanders, who live largely by method? of barter. Eggs, fish and potatoes rro the principal media of exchange, though every household possesses a cow. Aranmorc’s only concession lo modern science is a short wave radio, capablo of transmitting and receiving messages from sleepy, little Burton Fort, the big ‘‘city" on tho mainland, which adventurous islanders visit perhaps half a dozen times in a lifetime. The majority of the and women of Aranmore have heard of cinemas only by repute, and regard many modern scientilie developments as exaggerated fairy stories recounted by the handful of summer visitors to this Irish Eden.