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English Version Below |
Tá Oileán Thoraigh suite 5 chiliméadar ar Iar-thuaisceart Chorrán Binne agus téann daoine isteach ar bhád farantóireachta ó Mhachaire Radhartaigh atá ar mhórthír Dhún na nGall. Ciallaíonn 'Toraigh' na haillte árda creagach. Gaeilge a labhairtear ar an oileán seo agus tá conaí ar an oileán le blianta fada agus tá sé saibhre le suíoimh seandálaíoch agus manachúila. Ar cheann de na suíoimh seo tá Dún Bhalair (Balor's Fort), atá ar iarthar na h-oileán agus glacann sé a ainm ó 'Balor of the Evil Eye', deilbh miotaseolaíoch. Tá ceithre leathard sa dún chomh maith le cúpla bothán déanta amach as cloch. Fósta anseo tá iarsmaí de mhainistir a bhunaigh Naomh Colmcille sa Bhaile Thiar. Ar na rudaí atá ag an suíomh seo, tá fothrach de thúr ciorclach agus Cróis Árd ach ar ndoigh an rud is cailiúla atá anseo nó an Cróis Tau, cróis le crúth 'T' ag dul arais go dtí an séú haois. Is maith le muintir na h-oileán feirmeoireacht caoirigh agus iascaireachta a dheanamh mar shlí beatha. Le gairid, tá feabhas tagtha ar thurasoireachta ar an oileán ach tá fadhb mhór acu anseo le háiseanna poirt agus éiríonn na fadhbanna seo níos measa i ndroch aimsir. Tá clú agus cáil ar Thoraigh mar gheall ar an scoil péintéarí 'bunúsach' atá anseo. Chuir an péintéar idirnaisiúnta Derek Hill spreagadh sa ghairm seo. Rugadh Derek Hill i Sasain ach rinneadh Éireannach Onórach de agus thug sé cuairt ar an oileán go rialta ar feadh 50 bliain go dtí go bhfuair sé bás sa bhliain 2000. Ar chuid de phéintéarí an oileán tá Patsy Dan Rodgers, rí Thoraigh, agus Anton Meehan. Glacann an bheirt acu na radharcanna álainn den oileán mar thídeail da gcuid pictiúirí agus cuireann seo éileamh mhór ar a gcuid oibrithe. |
 Father McAteer and the Tau Cross, Tory Island © Martine Franck |
| Tory Island is situated 5km North West of Horn Head and can be reached by ferry from Magheraroarty on the Donegal mainland. It derives its name from the Gaelic 'Toraigh' meaning 'the high rocky cliffs'. This Gaelic speaking island has been inhabited since the earliest times and is rich in archaeological and monastic sites, including Balor's Fort (Dún Bhalair) on the east of the island which takes it's name from 'Balor of the Evil Eye', a mythological figure. The fort has four ramparts and numerous stone huts. There are also the remains of a monastery founded by Saint Colmcille in West Town. The monastic site includes the ruins of a round tower and High Cross but is most famous for the Tau Cross, a stone T-shaped cross dating from the 6th century. The Tory Islanders live by sheep farming and fishing. In recent years there has been some development of tourism on the island but this is hampered by the lack of good harbour facilities which makes the island inaccessible in bad weather. Tory is famous for its school of 'primitive' painters who were encouraged by the internationally famous painter, the late Derek Hill, an Englisman and Honourary Irishman, who frequented the island for over fifty years until his death in 2000. Among the Island painters are Patsy Dan Rodgers, the King of Tory, his nephew Rory Rodgers and Anton Meehan, all of whom take as their subject the rugged and beautiful scenery of the island. Their work is highly sought by art collectors.© |