Book
The Tory Islanders: a people of the Celtic fringe
University of Notre Dame Press • Notre Dame • Published In 1995 • Pages:
By: Fox, Robin.
Abstract
This is a study of a tight-knit island community of a few hundred people. The author examines the relationship between the cognatic kinship system and land tenure. He also looks at the organization of the fishing industry in its heyday, again focusing on the role of kinship in the ownership of boats and recruitment of labor. By cross-referencing land registers and genealogical charts, he reveals how rights to land are shared and allocated to households. The labor demands of fishing required drawing on a wide pool of kin, including second cousins and in-laws. Most boats were collectively owned with crew members having shares. Ownership arrangements changed with the introduction of power boats that required smaller crews but a larger capital investment. Unique to the island is the number of married couples who live in separate households, but eat meals together. This unusual arrangement is attributed to various factors, including the late age of marriage, a strong sibling bond, and community endogamy with in-laws living close to each other.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2016
- Region
- Europe
- Sub Region
- British Isles
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard; 2014
- Field Date
- 1963-1965
- Coverage Date
- 1760-1965
- Coverage Place
- Tory Island, County Donegal, Ulster, Ireland
- Notes
- Robin Fox
- Reprint. Previously published: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1978
- Includes bibliographical references (p. [199]-203) and index
- LCCN
- 94044604
- LCSH
- Ethnology--Ireland--Tory Island
- Celts--Ireland--Tory Island
- Civilization, Celtic
- Tory Island (Ireland)--Social life and customs