Christmas on the Aran Islands

Christmas was a hectic affair this year for Fr. Ciarán Blake, Inis Mór's parish priest.  There is no parish priest on Inis Meáin, so after reading mass on Inis Mór, Fr. Blake was ferried by a local fisherman, Michael Seoighe, to Inis Meáin where after a choppy crossing Fr. Blake was driven to the church to read Christmas mass for the waiting congregation.

The picture opposite shows Fr. Blake being on the return trip from Inis Meáin, pleased with the day's work and 'glad to be heading home for some well earned turkey and ham'. Tommy Flaherty, Stiofán and Éinne Faherty and members of the Ó Cadhain family (all from Inis Mór) accompanied Fr. Blake on the crossing where several hot whiskeys kept the winter chill at bay.

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