--Ireland can be found in Far Western Europe, specifically in the North Atlantic Ocean, and divided from Great Britain by Saint George’s Channel on the south-east, the Irish Sea on the East, and the North Channel on the north-east (Ireland, #1). Furthermore, the island is separated politically into two portions. The Republic of Ireland, which is the larger, can be found on the south end of the island, and Northern Ireland, which has the smaller land area, on the north. The whole island is divided into four historical provinces namely, Connaught, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. In totality, the Republic of Ireland, which is formerly known as Eire, is made up of twenty-three counties from Connaught, Leinster, and Munster and three counties from the Ulster Province. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, consists of twenty-six districts which is the remainder of the Ulster Province (#1).

--The Republic of Ireland is about twenty seven thousand one hundred and thirty six square miles in total land area. All over the country, the land is littered with a variety of large, ruined castles, which is contrasted with small villages and hamlets. Because these communities mostly practice maritime livelihoods, often they line the coastal regions as if they are strung along the shores.

--The history of this country is quite bloody and undesirable. Although quite romanticized by many authors and directors alike, the true past of Ireland cost the country a lot of its native lives. According to local legend, the country was initially inhabited by a number of tribes, the most important of which where the Nemedians, Fomorians, Firbolgs, and Tuatha De Danaan. Eventually, these tribes were believed to have been subdued by the Milesians (Scots) (Ireland, #3). This, however, is not confirmed for although Ireland was mentioned under the name Ierne in various Greek literatures, very little is known, with accuracy, regarding the early inhabitants of this country before the fourth century AD. From earlier times, each province of Ireland appeared to have had its own established monarchies. These kings where then believed to have been under the administration of a central district located on a hill of the present-day county of Meath (#3).

--In 1155 AD, King Henry II of England allegedly obtained documentation from Pope Adrian IV giving him authority to take ownership of the island upon the condition that the papal treasury be compensated through annual revenue (Nault, et.al.,#413). Although this document was believed to have been a forgery, it nonetheless began the Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland. In 1172 AD Henry, with a relatively formidable militia, attacked the island. Forming alliances with some minor Irish chiefs and Norman adventurers who arrived earlier, he was then able to subdue a large portion of the country (#426). Although putting up a fierce resistance, the rest of the surviving polities, however, eventually ceded to the superior Anglo-Norman might.

--A land of blue mountains, wind swept lakes, and inland seas, this country epitomizes the rich heritage that most European nations has to offer. Such a beautiful land however masks the turbulent past the country had undergone throughout its history (as described above). Tall, towering castles personify these struggles, as they are both considered symbols of oppression and also reassurance. Because of such a tumultuous past, the rebuilding of a nation took its toll on the citizens. Impoverished and struggling, its people managed to somehow continue to survive and build for themselves a new Ireland that can now be seen today.

--Many of the country’s small communities practice a variety of strategies for their livelihood. From herding small and large animals, to farming, and especially fishing, these villages are able to support relatively small populations. This is because most of their work is done in the traditional form. Because of such high regard for their customs, often their outdated techniques leave them laden with lack productivity. Hence, because they are an immensely traditional people, these populations often live in extremely simple conditions and are admittedly quite content to do so.

--One example of such a community is a village named Dunquin. With a population of only about one hundred and eighty people, they all manage to retain their relatively traditional lives by continuing to practice age old subsistence strategies (Young, et.al., The Village). Because the village is located near the coast, the primary livelihood of most of the citizens is fishing. Considered to be an extremely hazardous occupation, these fishermen, who often target lobsters as their main quarry, practice extreme caution as they venture out into the open waters (Young, et.al., The Village). Their cautiousness can be observed especially when rain falls during their fishing trips. Due to the countries high precipitation rate, the fishermen’s work is often interrupted, hence their occupation is frequently disrupted and their time often goes to a quiet, leisurely day in some shelter. This notion is quite evident in the village of Dunquin. Often when rain comes, the fishermen usually congregate in a small island called Blasket isle. Here they rest and eat food they brought along for the expedition. Because they use long and slender boats, their crew usually comprise of at least five men and because occupations are passed on from generation to generation, the crew is often made up of close relatives especially fathers and sons. When rain falls, these men proceed to the small island and find shelter in cabins and wait until the precipitation subsides. The wait can last from a few minutes or until the next day (Young, et.al., The Village).

--Other types of occupations can also be found in this small village. Like many other communities, they have innkeepers who house many of the tourists who come to experience Dunquin’s rural life. To cater to basic village needs, shopkeepers of various specialties can also be found through out the neighborhood. Furthermore, like normal old world villages, one can still detect a milkman doing his early morning rounds delivering milk to every house in the village. In addition to these professions, there are also peat-diggers, cattle-herders, and farmers.

--Because a farmer’s life was considered to be the hardest due to the nature of the occupation, not a lot of women desire to be married to one. In comparison, the life of a shopkeeper was considered to be prosperous and of a relatively comfortable existence. As a result of this, most, if not all, women aspire to marry shopkeepers in order to live well-to-do lives. This, however, poses a problem due to the fact that there are not enough storeowners in the village. Because of this, a large population of this community, especially old men and women have never been married. Hence, the occurrence of matrimonial ceremonies in this community is extremely low and the number of virgin men and women are very high (ostensibly). As a result of this, the typical Dunquin household consists of more or less ten children per residence. In addition to this, most homes are made up of brothers and sisters over fifty years of age. Thus, the Dunquin population does not grow exponentially like most other societies due to the people’s lack of desire to get married.

--The Dunquin community, in general, are devoted Catholics. Perhaps stemming from the history and founding of their village, they thus display strong beliefs and traditions that show Catholic influence mixed with ancient folklore. Every Sabbath day, almost, if not all, the villagers turn up for the day’s service. Conducted outdoors, perhaps to accommodate the number of churchgoers, the mass is performed in the traditional form and are executed by priests of the order (Young, et.al., The Village). As can be observed above, the community’s religion serves as a uniting factor for the entire village. Through this, they are able to interact with one another and thus get further acquainted with their neighbors and learn about what’s going on with the community in general.

--In addition to Catholic services, there are supplementary ways the villagers interact with one another. The post office, for example, is one of the main places they receive information regarding the village and surrounding communities. Through this place, they not only send and receive letters, here they also acquire news about the town and the people in it. Another way the villagers associate with one another is by going to various pubs located in the area. Here, they mingle with people of opposite genders and perhaps even find mates. One of the main forms of entertainment in these pubs, in addition to the liquor, is the music they play. By using violins, they inject a certain identity to the music as they perform lively and distinct songs which cater to the spirited crowd (Young, et.al., The Village). Besides these social establishments, another place citizens, especially young adults, meet is in the cross roads. Every summer, they traditionally congregate here for the purpose of dancing and general merriment. Through this activity, eligible men and women are able to showcase themselves for the purpose of finding mates (Young, et.al., The Village).

--Because of the villagers' desire to keep with traditional practices, visitors and tourists often find their way into the community. Often the pubs discover themselves filled with new faces that hope to immerse themselves in the local culture. This, however, is quite alarming because the more tourists come, the greater the chance for the traditional village to completely disappear. This is because the greater the contact of the community from outside influence, the greater the chance their practices can be tainted by new ideas. This notion, however, does not keep the tourists from experiencing the village color (though, they endanger the very thing they hope to come into contact with)as one can see a number of them frequenting the pubs and other local establishments. It is quite interesting to note, however, that there is hardly, if any contact at all, between the locals and the tourist groups. Often, tourists congregate among themselves not paying desiring to strike up any conversations with the locals. Although it is not known exactly why this is, it is quite apparent that tourists often erroneously discuss their advantage compared to the villagers as they display their believed “civility” and advancement. This notion can be observed as one listens in to most of their conversations. Often they would talk about how idyllic the villagers’ life is and how defenseless they truly are. At times they would even pity the rural population due to their lack of material possessions and “civilized” amenities. There are, however, people who find these notions quite mistaken. To them, the apparent lack of knowledge by the villagers regarding worldly things is actually an advantage. They add that material things do not matter and that the villagers do not actually need to know about it.

--The above notion is also a popular topic between philosophers and folklorists. Perhaps the two most classic roles still in existence in some Irish villages today, the folklorist (seanchai) and the poet/philosopher (filadhe) often discuss the conditions of their community and how it has change through out its existence. As mentioned above, one of the more conversed issues of late is the effects of modernizing agents in the traditional village. As can be observed in the movie The Village, the two figures (namely the philosopher and folklorist) trade opinions on how their native tongue is slowly being phased out by the increasing use of the english language. In addition to this, another topic they were dutifully discussing was about how the belief that “the land is part of the body” is gradually disappearing (Young, et.al., The Village).

--Another effect of modernization can be closely observed in the steady decline of the village’s population. As men and women are made aware of the possibility of more comfortable lives, many of them opt to migrate from their villages in order to find less strenuous forms of living. Hence, as people steadily leave Dunquin, the number of inhabitants in the village has decreased significantly especially through the twentieth century. The common destination of these villagers are often Liverpool or the Boston area. Here the migrants often settle in communities who share similar ethnic backgrounds hence affording them a sense of familiarity. Although quite distant from their homeland, most of them, however, do not cut the ties with their communities completely. Some visit their villages regularly, while others even choose to return permanently as they eventually retire.

--In conclusion, although it had quite a turbulent past, Ireland still however offers a land of beauty, calm, and simplicity. Such simplicity can be observed in the many small villages that are scattered through out the area as the inhabitants strive to live as their ancestors did before them. Dunquin, a model of such a village, displays the quiet austerity of such a society as they live in accordance to their traditions and beliefs. Through their example, one can observe how the early Irish made a living, practiced religion, and interacted casually. However, as they strive to live traditionally, many outside forces bring about change and new ideas that may eventually transform this community completely. Because of this, many villagers become immersed in the idea of a “different” life hence prompting them to migrate. As this occurs more frequently, the traditional Irish village as was known through out history may someday vanish completely.

Young C., Hockings P,.(1967) The Village. California: University of Berkeley, b/w film, 70 min., 16mm.

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