Book

The Tory Islanders: a people of the Celtic fringe

University of Notre Dame PressNotre 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.
Subjects
Population
External migration
Traditional history
History
Marine industries
Real property
Inheritance
Labor supply and employment
Cooperative organization
Boats
Personal names
Regulation of marriage
Residence
Family relationships
Kinship terminology
Kin relationships
Rule of descent
Kindreds and ramages
culture
Rural Irish
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