Born in California to an American father and a mother from Inishbofin, at the age of 10 Kevin Abeyta moved to his mother’s homeland. Later, having studied music in Limerick and travelled for a few years, Kevin finally felt the pull of the island of his ancestors and made Inishbofin his permanent home. A regular player at sessions on the island, Kevin tells us about music, family and the island of his people.
In the summertime you see the same faces coming back on holidays. It's like going to a festival in the summer. You see people coming for two weeks and you don't have to go anywhere – they come to you.
There's lots to be said for island life. You're your own boss. There's nobody bothering you.
My part, the East End, is the best part of the island. There are two beaches over here whereas the other side is very rugged. The East End has plenty of beach – it’s nice it has a more subtle landscape.
There's also Cromwell's Barracks where they used to get the priest and tie him to a rock. The water would come in and he'd drown. Bishop's Rock it was called.
I came to the island when I was 10. I didn't like the school in the States at all. God no! When we moved to 'Bofin half my life became right. I felt I was going somewhere where I wanted to be."