Inis Meáin, Aran Islands

This young woman is sitting on an upturned creel traditionally used for carrying turf which had to be transported from the mainland across the shallow waters of Galway Bay on sailboats known as hookers. The cargo of fuel had to be loaded and offloaded by hand. Island cattle, lowered by ropes into the empty hold, and also limestone to neutralise the acid soils of Connemara and Mayo, filled the boats for the return journey.