Gola Island

C-Shore

Hello,

I have been searching for information on Gola Island and can't find an answer to my question.

I was watching a documentary/video footage more so, of the island and it showed the population over time.

In the 60's it dramatically reduced and anyone I have asked doesn't know.

Does anyone know why so many people left the island?

slimboyfat

Good piece here http://irishislands.info/dlgola.html

It states 'It seems that it was the growing pattern of seasonal labour migration, rather than the direct effects of the mechanization of fishing which eventually led to the decline and ultimate fall of Gola'

Bligh

Not sure why so many left at once, but was there not a move to encourage people to move off islands as they were too expensive for the state to maintain, I remember hearing something about this and Tory Island

Gola is a fantasic island well worth a visit and it's nice to see so many people moving back there to live during the summer time.

yourpics

Watched the 2 documentaries about it last night. Very interesting.

There was only 5 people left there in the late 60's but the seasonal population has increased in recent years since the electrification of the island. (I think it was 2002).

Populations:

1881 107
1911 169
1926 168
1936 139
1946 132
1951 131
1956 125
1961 93
1966 43
1969 5
1986 0

There was a book about Gola called Gola - The life and last days of an island community.
In that book, the main theory for the decline in population is that the islanders enjoyed a better quality of life while working on the mainland and therefore realsied the hardship and poorer standard of living that came with island life. Then as the population declined, goods and services were in less demand and therefore became harder to get for the islanders who remained.

maoidh

Anyone interested on finding out more about Gola Island should take a look at the website www.donegalislands.com

My father is from there and we are always in and out to it, love this island it has something magic about it.

retalivity

Báidín Fheilimí....

cosanostra

Anyone looking for something different to do at the weekends Gola is a great place to go out camping, lovely little bay on the other side really peaceful place. There's a ferry takes you out from Bunbeg

fearbainne

thers a documentary on rte player about it 2!

C-Shore

I've only just gotten emails to let me know people had replied, thanks for the information.

slimboyfat wrote: »

Good piece here http://irishislands.info/dlgola.html


It states 'It seems that it was the growing pattern of seasonal labour migration, rather than the direct effects of the mechanization of fishing which eventually led to the decline and ultimate fall of Gola'

This was a lovely read, a great article actually. Thanks very much for posting that; it was quite sad to read how much of an effect the onshore trade had and that downward spiral it caused.

fearbainne wrote: »

thers a documentary on rte player about it 2!

Yeah that's the one I had been watching, I couldn't believe how much footage there was.
It was strange the way it was abandoned in some ways, just left as if it didn't matter.

yourpics

http://www.pbase.com/rogercurry

Some great photographs of the Donegal Islands including Gola.

eth0

Can one camp on Gola or is it one of those protected places that can have noone on them by night?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Only got around to watching the one filmed in the 60's last night. Very interesting, although a bit harsh the way they just flaked the poor dog into the sea half way across. Thought that was a bit cruel.

Fanadfanad

yourpics wrote: »

http://www.pbase.com/rogercurry

Some great photographs of the Donegal Islands including Gola.

Thanks! As I ate my lunch, Ilooked over these - some beautiful pictures there!