The Islands of Ireland

A profusely illustrated, revelatory tour of Ireland's little-known islands.

Ireland has long been renowned for its beautiful countryside. But modern Ireland is in the midst of an economic and urban boom, and the peaceful, rural, old-fashioned country lives more in the imagination today than in reality. The traditional Ireland, however, can still be found in its many islands: sparsely inhabited, full of grace and mystery, they offer an almost primitive way of life.

The Irish photojournalist Nutan sailed from island to island, meeting the inhabitants, capturing the special light, recording the distinctive landscapes that are undeveloped and still relatively free of tourism. The magnificent scenery exerts a singular charm, and the jagged rocks, strong currents, and mercurial winds lend a magical dimension to these islands.

Protected by a capricious climate and an inhospitable sea, each of the more than twenty islands presented here possesses a history all its own. On Tory, for example, all the inhabitants are painters. Dursey Island, a bird watcher's heaven, can be reached from the mainland only by cable car.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, more than one hundred Irish islands were still inhabited. Today, barely thirty have year-round populations. 280 color illustrations.