Sunny Liquid Dreams

July 17, 2009

My destination for my three-day solo trip was across country and ocean: the Aran Islands. The Aran Islands are a group of three islands - Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, and Inis Oírr. They are located in Galway Bay and can be reached by either ferry or plane.

My original goal was to see all three islands in three days. However, I realized that I was trying to see too much and limited myself to seeing the largest and most visited island, Inis Mór, and the middle and least visited island, Inis Meáin. I feel bad that I missed seeing Inis Oírr, but I am definitely making plans for a longer stay next time.

The Aran Islands are a popular tourist destination for the hordes that visit Galway City. They are well-known for the preservation of the Irish language and culture. The majority of people speak Gaelic on the island, although they will speak English to tourists. Electricity was only introduced in 1975 and time has seen the slow erosion of the traditional lifestyle. Many young people leave the islands to seek out work on the mainland, although they will visit during summer or winter vacations. They were also completely self-sufficient and made enough food through fishing and farming.

I wanted to visit the islands because many students from previous years said that it was definitely worth a trip. However, people suggested that at least a few day stay was necessary to see more than just the tourist locations. I went, and I went by myself, because I fancied some time alone. I would be able to set my own schedule, see what I want and when I want, and I wouldn't have to forgo anything because someone else wanted to see something different.

I left early on Friday to catch the train from Dublin to Galway City. When I arrived, I had a little over one hour to spare before catching a ferry to Inis Mór.

The ferry ride itself was interesting. The weather forecast wasn't great for the weekend and we were going up against the waves as they rolled into the mainland. The ferry did rock, almost violently, from side to side, but the journey was safe. I was amazed at how people were able to drink their coffees and teas without spilling anything. I surely would have made a mess everywhere.

Once we disembarked at the port, Cill Rónáin (Killronan), I was immediately accosted by at least four people trying to get me to rent a bike. It is a big island and it was suggested that the best way to see it was to rent a bike. I was carrying some luggage, so I promised to return and rent one later.

I caught a taxi to the hostel and dropped off my stuff. I walked back towards Killronan and picked up some food along the way. I rented a bike (which was old and squeaky) and headed out across the island.

Ireland's fences. Instead of building wooden fences (which would most definitely get ruined in the constant rain), the islanders used their most abundant resource to make the boundary of their land.

After biking on the main road for a while, I took a small detour to the lighthouse. It is on the highest point on the island and this is the path that leads up to it. It looks deceiving easy to climb, but it is much steeper than it looks. My bicycle only served to complicate matters.

A car park just before the lighthouse and a great place to take pictures from.

After climbing down from the lighthouse, I biked farther down the main road. I saw many tourists going both ways, either walking, biking, or taking a horse ride. Perhaps the most famous attraction on Inis Mór is Dún Aonghasa. This is the pathway that leads up to it. The small gap in the wall of rock at the top of the photo is the entrance to the area.

Dún Aonghasa is the name of the half-moon stone fort that sits on the edge of 100 metre cliffs that drop straight to the ocean. It is thought to date from the Iron Age and as been called "the most magnificent barbaric monument in Europe". Dún Aonghasa is used to refer to the fort, cliffs, and the surrounding area. There is a theory that suggests that the fort was built several hundred meters away from the cliffside, but constant erosion has eaten away at the edges of the island.

Another shot of the fort.

This is NOT my picture, but it is a photo I took from the internet to show an aerial view of the fort perched on the edge of the cliffs.

I'm still amazed at how these rocks stay in place. It looks as if high winds would knoch them over, but they are extremely sturdy .

The entrance to the interior of the fort.

The cliffs that drop straight to the sea. If you will, the island contains a mini Cliffs of Moher, but they were both intimidating. I refused to get near the edge, but this was taken in a safe haven. Since the edges curved, I had no need to get close to the edge to take a good picture. Unlike the Cliffs of Moher, there is no protective fence and visitors are free to wander about.

A mother and her two small boys standing on the edge to look out to the Atlantic Ocean.

The clouds cast magnificient shadows on the ocean that day. It was raining as I climbed up the fort, but the sky cleared as the rain moved towards the mainland.

Kilmurvey (Cill Mhuirbhigh) beach, one of Europe's blue flag beaches. This was perhaps the best "white sand, blue water" beach I have seen in Ireland. I biked around to the other side and walked along the beach for a while.