Aran children - on a cigarette card

A PHOTOGRAPH of Aran islanders captioned as “descendants of the Firbolgs” has come to light at a saleroom in England.

The image was used on a cigarette card by tobacco manufacturer Gallaher in about 1910 and shows a group of children, dressed in “traditional” costume on Aranmore (also known as Inishmore) the largest of the Aran islands.

In Irish mythology, the rough tribe of the Firbolgs ruled Ireland from the Dún Aengus fortress on the island before being overthrown by the more refined Tuatha Dé Danann.

Cigarette cards were used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to stiffen cigarette packaging.

But they also had a marketing purpose and tobacco manufacturers issued sets of cards depicting popular subjects – sportsmen, military uniforms, Hollywoood stars etc – which smokers collected.

Sets varied in size but normally ran to either 25 or 50 cards.

Various lots of Irish cigarette cards are included in a sale by specialist auctioneer Tim Davidson in Nottingham next Wednesday, August 17th. Irish subjects include scenery, place-names and fishing. See timdavidsauctions.co.uk – MICHAEL PARSONS