Woven Lives: Seán Mullins
A Life on Inis Mór
Life on Inis Mór is shaped by the land, the sea and the people who call it home. Here, traditions are carried forward through the work of each day, the language spoken between neighbours and the ties that bind one generation to the next.
For Seán Mullins, 31, this is home. His family roots run deep on Inis Mór, where he has lived all his life. Today, he farms 15 acres of dry-stock land, following a way of life that has shaped his family and the island for centuries.
Ask Seán what island life means to him and his answer is simple: farming, fishing and tradition. But listen to him speak about the island, and it becomes clear that these words hold a much deeper meaning.
Built from the Land
Some of Seán’s earliest memories are of working alongside his father. Tending cattle, rebuilding stone boundary walls and making silage were part of everyday life.
Farming has changed since those days, but the work remains closely tied to the land. Stone walls still need rebuilding, animals need tending, and the seasons dictate what comes next—tasks that occasionally see his neighbour, Máirtín Connelly, stepping in to lend a hand.
It is a way of life that calls for patience and hard work, shaped by the landscape and the demands of each day. For Seán, that connection is part of what makes living and working on the island so special.
The Heart of the Community
There is a closeness to island life that can be difficult to understand from a short visit. Visitors might see the stone walls, the open landscape and the Atlantic stretching towards the horizon, but the deeper story lies in the people who live here.
For Seán, community is one of the island’s greatest strengths.
Our community is so strong - visitors may not see that when they just come for a day or two. Everybody helps each other, it’s like an extended family. I have 3 cows and 2 calves, but if I need a bull, I can just borrow one from my neighbour.
That spirit extends beyond farming into the everyday fabric of island life. A drop of milk for your tea when you run out, an extra pair of hands with the animals or a friendly chat at the gate in the morning. On Inis Mór, a neighbour’s door is always open and help is never far away.
On an island where the elements can be challenging and life demands resilience, these connections matter.
The Language of Home
Of all the things Seán treasures about Inis Mór, it is the local language. He says the name of his village, An Cabruac, with pride.
The local language is my favourite - it means everything. It's indescribable and so unique, even different from Irish spoken elsewhere in Ireland.
For him, Irish is not something set aside for special occasions. It is woven into everyday life on Inis Mór, from conversations in the pub to the Irish names carved in stone throughout the island’s villages.
It is a living connection to the island’s heritage, carried through generations.
Beyond the Familiar
Inis Mór is home to four main ancient stone forts, including the island's most famous, Dún Aonghasa. Each one draws visitors to its dramatic stone remains and sweeping Atlantic views.Seán believes they are all worth visiting, but he also feels there is a tendency to rush.
When time is short, people can miss the places and experiences that reveal themselves more slowly: the beaches, the quieter corners of the island, the local pubs and the food that is part of island life.
For Seán, one of the most special places is towards the west of the island.
Evening time is beautiful here, especially if you get a good sunset. I love back west in Bungabhla - there it feels like you could just slip off the island, a different world, the end of the end.
The Island Itself
Ask Seán to describe Inis Mór in three words and he chooses them without hesitation: beautiful, mesmerising and enchanting.
Yet the island’s beauty is inseparable from the life lived here. It is in the work of farming, the rebuilding of old stone walls, the care of animals and the sound of Irish carried between neighbours. It comes alive in the moments that bring the islanders together, from the bonfires of June to the annual currach racing festival, and in the traditions that continue to connect generations.
For Seán, the greatest gift is the island itself—its landscape, its language and the community that gives it life. And when the day draws to a close, the ferries have all departed, the bikes and tourists have been and gone, and the island begins to quieten, there is a moment when you can hear it again.
Not just the wind or the sea, but the island itself.
With special thanks to our friend Seán Mullins and his neighbour Máirtín Connelly for sharing a little of their lives on Inis Mór with us.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
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