Sheep raising appears to be the sole source of economic activity in these remote areas (other than tourism). It appears to me that the only way sheep are economically viable is with the huge subsidies that they get by virtue of the EU. It reminds me of the American cowboy. The US subsidizes the cowboy culture as a romantic idea of the wild West. The sheep and cattle that they contribute to the meat supply of the US is nothing. The subsidies are huge and they vote Conservative—anti-welfare, anti-federal government, even though they absolutely could not survive without the welfare that they receive from the federal government. I wonder if Ireland’s sheep farmers have the same conservative, anti-welfare, anti-government, and contradictory views?
thebunguycord 
Much like the big irrigators of the san Joaquin Valley who get subsidized water for almost nothing. “Redneck Socialists”