Reddit reviews Inis Beag: Isle of Ireland

Usually with enthnographies, the academic either lives among the communities and makes observations or keeps asking questions until someone talks to them. It helps them tremendously to make friends and gain people's trust.

That board also brings into question if the island was real, which this Wikipedia article clears up. The island's true name was Inisheer, stylized as "Inis Beag" for the resident's privacy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inis_Beag

I haven't read the actual ethnography essay, which is 34 pages long and don't know who he cites for his info, but it does come with 2 pages of references. It would be pretty rare to publish an ethnography without any evidence whatsoever. Considering the number of sexual health and sexology books that reference it, I have to assume there must be some merit. I would be very interested to read it, but it's hard to find a digital copy without paying.

http://ehrafworldcultures.yale.edu/ehrafe/citation.do?method=citation&forward=browseAuthorsFullContext&id=er06-017

He also did a longer study of the island that was 136 pages.

https://www.amazon.com/Inis-Beag-John-C-Messenger/dp/0881330515/ref=pd_sim_14_1/145-2609404-5587267?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0881330515&pd_rd_r=1CZWPNFV2T0ARQF8N47G&pd_rd_w=okO2G&pd_rd_wg=zmLDd&psc=1&refRID=1CZWPNFV2T0ARQF8N47G

All it takes is 5-10 people of different statuses/ages to accurately describe the cultural practices of a homogeneous 300. It's essentially a large tribe.

Also, this was in the 1950s/60s before the island had electricity or running water. No idea what it's like now, it'd be great to have an AMA from someone who lives there currently.

I believe it.