Published in 'The Irish Naturalist' VOL. II. DECEMBER,1893, NO.12.

(This article may seem 'technical' or detailed for the first paragraph or two, but then becomes more interesting for those who would like to know of life in the Aran Islands at the turn of the century)

THE IRISH NATURALIST is itself a witness to the increased interest which has of late years become manifest in the study of Natural History in Ireland, and it is encouraging to see notes from new observers in various parts of the country. It would be very undesirable to divert to other channels any of the energy which has now been brought to bear on Natural History, but there must be a large number of persons in Ireland who do not take any special interest in anyone group of animals or- plants, and have no taste or opportunity for making collections, but who, nevertheless, would like to occupy their leisure with something that is both interesting and worth doing. To such I would commend the study of the Irish Man.

It is surprising how little attention we have given, in the British Islands, to a study of our fellow-countrymen, whether from an anthropological or from a sociological point of view. In this respect we are far behind the great continental nations. Nor is it from lack of suggestive facts to be recorded, or of problems to be solved. The mixture of races in these islands certainly renders the problems complex, but this should not paralyse effort. Very interesting results may be expected from a careful study of certain groups of the populace, but to gain them immediate action must be taken. Owing to migration and emigration, the mingling of peoples has become more intimate, and the newspaper and the school-board have been potent in sweeping away local customs and in levelling up the less advanced folk. All we can now do is to record the little that remains of old-time custom and thought. Experience, however, shows that more persists beneath the surface than is generally conceded by those who vaunt themselves on present civilization and religion. The civilization of the British Islands is, after all, comparatively so recent that relics of the previous millenniums of savagery and barbarism are continually cropping up.

For some years past I have been increasingly impressed with the importance of these studies, and I recently determined to make a beginning with the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, being in every way suitable for such researches. It was therefore, with great pleasure that I found my friend Dr. C R. Browne was able to join me in making the first of what I hope will be series of studies in Irish Ethnography, conducted in connection with a Committee appointed by the Royal Irish Academy for that purpose. Our joint investigations have just been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy (3rd series, vol. iii., 1893, pp. 768-830, pls. xxii.-xxiv.

The Aranmen are mostly of a slight but athletic build, the average height is about 5 feet 4 3/4 inches, whereas that of the average Irishman is said to be 5 feet 8 1/2 inches. The span is less than the stature in a quarter of the cases measured, a rather unusual feature in adult males. The hands are rather small, but the forearm is often unusually long. The head is well-shapen, rather long and narrow; there is a slight parietal bulging. Anthropologists classify heads according to the relation between the length and the breadth; the length is taken as 100, and long narrow heads ( dolichocephals )
are those in which the ratio of breadth to length is as 75, or less, is to 100; the short broad heads (brachycephals) have a ratio of 80, or more, to 100, whereas the mesaticephals are intermediate between these two. The mean " cephalic index;" as it is termed, of the Aranites is 77.1, but it has been shown that in order to more accurately compare the cephalic index calculated upon measurements made on the living head with that of skulls, it is necessary to deduct two units from the former; this gives 75.1 as the Aran cephalic index. I find that the mean index of seven Aran skulls is 75.2, consequently the average head is to a very slight extent mesaticephalic, although the number measured is nearly evenly divided between mesaticephalic and dolichocephalic, The face is long and oval, with well-marked features, the eyes are rather small and close together, and marked at the outer corners by transverse wrinkles. The irises are in the great majority of cases blue or blue-grey in colour, The nose is sharp, narrow at the base, and slightly sinuous, The cheek bones are not prominent. In many men the length between the nose and the chin has the appearance of being decidedly great. The complexion is clear and ruddy, and but seldom freckled, On the whole the people are decidedly good-looking, The hair is brown in colour; in most cases of a lightish shade and accompanied by a light and often reddish beard. Eighty-nine per cent, of both men and women had blue or light-grey eyes; sixty-three per cent, had light brown hair, and about twenty-six per cent, had dark brown hair.

According to the last census (1891) the total area of the three islands is 11,288 acres, with a population of 2,907, 1,542 being males and 1,365 being females, The gross rental is £2,085 10s. 6d, The north island, Aranmore, has 7,635 acres, 397 houses, 1,048 males, 948 females (total 1,996), and a rental, of £1,433 18s, 1d. The middle island, Inishmaan, has 2,252 acres, 84 houses, 240 males, 216 females (total 456), and a rental of £423 18s, 5d, The south island, Inisheer, has 1,400 acres, 81 houses, 254 males, 201 females (total 455), and a rental of £227 14s. From these statistics it will be seen that there is an average acreage of 20a, or. 13 1/2 p, to each house of five persons, and the corresponding rental is £3 14s. 2 1/2 d.

The density of the population is 171 to the square mile, that of Co, Galway is 87, and for the whole of Ireland 146. It should, however, be borne in mind that a large proportion of the land in the Aran Islands is incapable of cultivation.

Irish is spoken by 88.47 per cent, of the people, of whom 77.2 speak Irish only.

The inhabitants of one island do not, as a rule, intermarry with those of another, and but little fresh blood can have been introduced for generations. The people of each locality are more or less inter-related, even though marriages between those of close degrees of relationship may not be usual. This accounts for the general similarity in personal appearance which is observed among them, but no appreciable ill effect results from the in-breeding. The population seems on the whole to be an unusually healthy one.

The older writers give very pleasing accounts of the psychology of these people - "brave, hardy, industrious, simple and innocent, but also thoughtful and intelligent, credulous, temperate, with a high sense of decency and propriety, honour and justice, communicative but not too loquacious, hospitable and honest." According to these authors there is scarcely a virtue which is lacking to the people; but one writer adds: "I am afraid things are very much changed since those days."

 

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