Villagers gather to commemorate lives lost in mine explosion

A grey and windy evening, but a dry one, greeted the crowds who assembled on Trá Mór, Inverin, on Friday last for an unusual and poignant piece of theatre.

Pléasc commemorated a tragedy from 100 years ago in which a mine from World War I exploded on Trá Shalach, killing nine local men. This live, open-air re-enactment was produced by Fíbín and was a true community initiative.

The drama unfolded slowly on Friday as people of all ages were guided onto the beach – not the one where the tragedy happened, but nearby.

The men who had discovered the mine in 1917 simply saw a large barrel-like object, like nothing they’d ever seen before. And they weren’t aware of the dangers when they went to examine it. They unknowingly triggered the mine by straightening a spike, which they thought might be a latch that might open the ‘barrel’ and reveal its contents.

The death of nine men, aged from 14 to 52, had a massive impact on an isolated Gaeltacht community and 100 years on, local people turned out in strength for Pléasc. Many of those present had lost family members, including the writer Eoin Mac Diarmada, whose great-grandfather Éamonn was among the casualties.

As a drama, Pléasc had pretty much had everything, including the fact that one man, Joe Hughie Ó Fátharta survived the explosion. And his story was central to Friday night’s performance.

The actors were in character as the audience arrived on the beach, while Cór Chois Fharraige were at the far side, accompanied by local musicians, all dressed in black. Their contribution was a highlight of the drama, which was told simply and straightforwardly. For some, the interpretation was too literal, especially the moment when the explosion occurred.

However, that was followed by a poignant scene where the ‘ghosts’ of the men, accompanied by young children, filed along the beach carrying plaques inscribed with the names of the dead.

Pléasc was performed as part of a programme of commemorative events, Cuimneachán an ‘Mine’ 1917-2017, organised by Cumann Forbartha Chois Fharraige.

The previous evening, at an Trá Shalach, the site of the explosion, a lone piper led some 300 people onto the beach where Mass was celebrated by local priest, An that Stiofán Ó Donnchadha, in memory of the men.

The community gathered again on Saturday at An Poitín Stil for the launch of An Mine: Sléacht agus Ár i gCois Fharraige. Published by Cló Iar-Chonnacht in association with the Mine Commemoration Committee, this book about the tragedy was edited by Lochlainn Ó Tuairisc.

See full story and pictures in this week’s Connacht Tribune.