A Son of Aran by Martin Gormally

teacher told Peadar that Eileen was making good progress at school and was likely to obtain a scholarship to secondary school. She sought his reaction to Eileen going to the mainland to attend school there. Thoughts of her being out of his sight for months on end worried Peadar, particularly in the light of the previous attempt to take her from him. He would miss her company and her cheerful demeanour—life would not be the same in her absence.
    â€˜I’ll have to take time to think it over,’ he replied.
    â€˜Should I move back to Galway and resume work in MacDonacha’s fertiliser factory for the duration of Eileen’s schooling? In that way she could live with me and attend school by day. Would her situation there be as secure as if she was resident in a convent school?’
    He pondered the question for several months. Máirtín listened as he debated the pros and cons. Together they talked with Sorcha who had experienced a similar situation when her only daughter reached secondary school age. With the wisdom of age and experience, Sorcha suggested that, since Eileen had come to love Aran and all that went with it, it would be unfair to return her to city living. Apart from becoming conversant with school routine in Galway, she would associate with friends outside of school hours.
    â€˜Better,’ she suggested, ‘for her to reside in the security of a convent school where she would get to know students from a wider area.’
    She reminded Peadar that if he went to work in a factory in Galway he would see Eileen for a short time only each day; during her free time she would be out and about with companions of her age and he would have little control over her movements.
    â€˜If Eileen is agreeable, I suggest you should choose a convent school in Connemara where she will be away from the city and safe from those who might have designs on her.’
    â€˜ Moladh le Dia (praise be to God),’ replied Peadar, ‘when I scratch enough heads I always find the solution to my problem!’
    When he put the matter to Eileen and pointed out the alternatives, she had no difficulty in opting for a convent school in Carna. She had heard about it from pupils who had attended there in the past.
    â€˜I’ll be very lonely leaving home,’ she said, ‘but Carna is accessible by boat from Aran. You will come to visit me whenever you and Máirtín call there with fish or when getting a supply of turf. The prospect of meeting from time to time will be something to look forward to for both of us.’
    Her future decided, Eileen resolved to make the most of her freedom before going away to school; she wanted to learn how to swim, sail a hooker, and help with the fishing. Peadar had never learned to swim; he harboured a long-held superstition among fishermen that, if the sea wants you, it will take you whether or not you are a swimmer! He approached an island boy named Seosamh, the son of a family that he knew and respected. Seosamh was glad of the opportunity to act as coach to Eileen. Together the young pair spent hours on end in the sea until she had mastered the butterfly, crawl, and backstroke. Despite her newfound ability to swim, Seosamh warned that she should never enter the water alone, and should not venture beyond her depth. Nevertheless he kept a watchful eye on her from a distance. As he gathered dilisc from the rocks one evening, he heard a frantic cry for help. Divesting himself of his heavy boots and loose báinín jacket he ran to her aid.
    â€˜Help, help, save me—somebody save me quick!’ she yelled as, while swimming in deep water, she suffered cramp and was unable to make it to the shore.
    With long strokes and a dreadful sense of tragedy, Seosamh tried to reach her; he saw her go under twice before breaking surface again. Taking a grip of her long dark tresses in his left hand, he paddled with his right until they reached shallow water. Quickly