Tale of the Tongs – The Gathering

2013 - Inishturk Island / Inis Toirc

In Gaelic, Inishturk means ‘Island of the Wild Boar’. The island is situated 9 miles of Mayo’s coast and has been inhabited since 4000 BC. The Tale of the Tongs was a commemorative project as part of the Ireland Gathering of 2013. ‘The Tale of the Tongs represents centuries of cultural gathering on Inishturk as a shrine, a respite, a viewing and resting point. It is a spiritual and cultural focus point representing the global Irish diaspora.’

Based upon the folklore that describes the custom where a person would take up a coal with the tongs from their fireplace and take it to a friend or loved one who was due to leave to America or England. The coal placed in the fire with the tongs beside it, became a promise that they would one day return home and take back a coal and tongs to its original setting so as to rekindle their fire.

The construction utilised local stone, along with glass and stainless steel, using both modern and traditional building methods. Nicknamed the ‘”Acropolis of Ireland” by locals’. A major documentary was filmed about the project by Judith Dwan Hallet and Stanley Hallet, FAIA.

The project was led in conjunction with the National Geographic Society’s Human Genome Project as part of The Gathering Ireland 2013 in concert with Mayo County Council and Failte Ireland.

Inis Toirc an Ghaeilge atá ar Inishturk. Tá an oileán suite 9 míle amach ó chósta Mhaigh Eo, agus daoine ag cur fúthu ann ó 4000 BC. Togra comórtha mar chuid de Thóstal Éireann 2013 ba ea The Tale of Tongs. ‘Seasann The Tale of Tongs do na céadta bliain de thionóil chultúrtha a tharla ar Inis Toirc; mar scrín, mar fhaoiseamh, agus mar áit le breathnú agus le scíth a ligean.  Is lárphointe spioradálta agus cultúrtha é a sheasann do dhiaspóra na nGael ar fud an domhain.’

Tá sé bunaithe ar scéalta béaloidis faoin nós a bhí ann tráth gríosach a thógáil den teallach le tlú, agus a thabhairt anonn don té a bhí ar tí dul go Meiriceá nó Sasana ar imirce. D’fhágfaí an ghríosach sa teallach agus an tlú in aice léi mar chomhartha gealltanais go bhfillfeadh an t-imirceach lá níos faide anonn agus thabharfaidís an ghríosach agus an tlú ar ais don té a óna bhfuarthas iad lena dtine a athlasadh.

Baineadh leas as cloch áitiúil, maille le gloine agus cruach dhosmálta sa struchtúr seo a chuimsigh idir modhanna traidisiúnta agus nua-aimseartha tógála.  Thug muintir na háite “Acrapolas na hÉireann” ar an saothar. Rinne Judith Dwan Hallet agus Stanley Hallet, FAIA, clár mór faisnéise faoin tionscadal seo.

Reáchtáladh an tionscadal seo i dteannta leis an Human Genome Project de chuid an National Geographic Society mar chuid de Thóstal Éireann 2013, faoi chomhstiúr Chomhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo agus Fáilte Éireann.

Location / Áit

Geographical coordinates:

Latitude 53° 42' 30.57; Longitude -10° 60' 35.658

Comhordanáidí Geografacha:

Domhanleithead 53° 42' 30.57; Domhanfhad -10° 60' 35.658