The Amazing Aran Islands

Have you ever heard of the Aran Islands? I hadn't until I started researching travel in Ireland...but they're not to be missed! I only spent one night there, and only saw the largest islands, Inis mmor, but I had such an amazing time that I'd have to put the Aran Islands on my "Best of..." list!
The islands are about a 40 minute ferry ride off the west coast of Ireland; I had to take a bus one hour out of Galway to catch the ferry.

The landscape of the islands is frequently described as "weird" and "lunar", but aside from the almost complete absence of trees, I didn't find it so strange, or so different from the rest of the west. Inishmor was lush and green, as one expects of Ireland; it was also incredibly rocky, so much so that, as in other areas of Ireland, farmers had used the rocks dug up from their fields to construct their houses and walls. These walls still segment the hills there, and the fields are populated with cows, goats, donkeys, sheep and horses, all of which I tried to pet.

There are lots of mini-bus tours available, and I'm told that some of them are quite good; in 3 hours or so they take you to all of the islands major sites, mostly the ruins of ancient fortresses, perched on cliff edges that give way--quite abruptly--to the Atlantic. I, however, chose to rent a bike. You'll be glad to know, I'm sure, that I have not lost my ability to ride a bicycle, despite lack of practice. I did just fine--and everyone was walking their bikes up the bigger hills, okay? The bike worked out particularly well for me because it allowed me to stop every 10 seconds or so to take a photo or try to pet some bewildered animal. The weather was glorious, and I had a wonderful time!

Just when I thought that I couldn't ride any further, I came across the Aran version of a mall; a couple of little restaurants in thatched cottages and a few shops. I did very well, with both. This welcome stop turned out to be just around the corner from one of the most popular ruins, Dun Aengus. This site features the remains of a circle fort; only half of the circle stands, however, giving way to a sheer drop into the Atlantic. The winds there were spectacular, sweeping straight off the water (it took me ages to untangle my hair).

I rode back to the hostel, by which time I was not only quite tired, but also very sore in my seat area. (I have, I must admit, a slightly boney butt, and it does not enjoy bicycles as much as the rest of me.) I walked back into the Kilronan, the main town, which was about 20 minutes from my hostel. The town features a couple of pubs, one grocery store, and a bunch of shops clearly aimed at tourists. You may have heard of Aran sweaters; the islands are famous for the intricate patterns they used to knit. Apparently this wasn't a vanity--each family had its own pattern, which helped to identify fishermen who were lost at sea and washed ashore; apparently, all that time exposed to the elements and too much time in the water made them a bit indistinguishable. In any case, Aran sweaters are hugely popular with the tourists, though I didn't see a single local wearing one. Unfortunately, I don't do very well with wool, so I didn't buy one.

The locals on Inis Mor were a friendly bunch; I had only just gotten off the ferry when I was approached by an, um, older gentleman--who appeared to have all of one tooth--who offered to be my boyfriend for the day. I tried to decline politely, explaining that I had only just arrived and needed to find my hostel, but that only inspired him to ask, repeatedly, where he would meet me that night. It was very hard not too laugh out loud. The friendliness was not all of this kind, however; a woman who was next to me in line at the grocery store, where I asked for directions, offered to walk me toward my hostel, since she was going that way. I learned a great deal more than I had expected about her during our walk (she is originally from Galway, and moved to Inis Mor when she married a fisherman from there; her mother recently had a hysterectomy; her children are very fond of peach candies; her remote control ran out of batteries that afternoon), which was cut short when another local offered her a ride home as he drove by.

I would love to go back sometime, and spend a few days on the islands; there is a great deal more to see and do on Inis Mor alone, not to mention the two other islands!