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A few islanders of Valentia |
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A few personalities of the island, each one taking part in communication, economic and cultural development, entertainment or simply in the preservation of Valentia's memory,
the most western inhabited island of Europe.
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John O'Sullivan
"I would say for the size of this island, it would probably be the most important island of the world"
Owner of the oldest pub of the island, the "Ring Lyne Pub" founded in 1869 by his grandfather, he bears with him about 80 years of memory among the community.
John O' Sullivan took an active part in the main changes of Valentia.
He was one of the first to have a car, transported by the ferry of that time, 2 wooden boards on a boat.
Then he became member of the committee in charge of the project of the bridge, between Portmagee and the west of the island. A construction realized in 1970 that brought a true revolution in the everyday life of the inhabitants.
Today, He and his family are still managing the pub.
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Diarmuid Ring
Former technician of the first transatlantic telegraph cable during 30 years for the Western Union company, he ensures the communication in morse between the Old continent and America at the rate of 40 words per minute.
He is the last of a family of three generations working at the cable station.
His wife worked at the only post office of the island called rightly "The last Post".
In 1976, most of the museum pieces gathered in the Valentia Heritage centre were generously offered by this history lover, with the infallible and touching memory of the glorious past of Valentia.
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Richard Foran
Lighthouse keeper of Skellig Island and owner of the only ferry of Valentia, his house were the last one to be built in 1969 before the arrival of the bridge one year later, transporting each element by boat.
Perilous construction with the risk to see capsizing the materials as well as the household electrical during the few 800 meters separating the island from the firm ground.
He thus decided in 1996, to buy in Holland a ferry, which he led to the island during 10 days along the coasts.
Nowadays, The Valentia Island car ferry company he created takes aboard 7200 cars from April 1st to September 30th.
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Des Lavelle
Sailor and author of the book "The Skellig story", when the sea agrees, he daily takes visitors to Skellig Islands, a World Heritage site.
He likes saying that his passion for these islands is dating from about a thousand years.
With the increasing of interested visitors, he decided to gather information and offered on paper, through his passion, photography, the result of a lifetime observation.
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Michael Lyne
One of the three owners of the slate quarry, officially in activity since 1816, he exploited again the mine in 1998.
Competition is hard but convinced by the quality of the stone, he starts diversifying the production, creating furniture (seats, tables, fireplace surrounds…).
Also convinced of the particularities of Valentia, he published in the seventies, the only magazine of the island, "The voice of Valentia".
As a sportsman, he decided during his free time to share his experience with the club, "Valentia Young Islanders GAA".
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Timothy Lyne
Here with an old photo of the radio station built in 1914, Timothy Lyne, radio operator and his team of 13 persons watch over the Atlantic Ocean on a radius of 200 miles off the coast, within the "Valentia Coast Guard radio EJK".
As soon as they receive a message of distress, they organize the rescue by boat or helicopter depending the case.
Over 660 interventions per year made by one of the three coast guard radio of Ireland.
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