Three islands make up the Aran Islands, off the west coast of Ireland, near Galway. Inishmore is the largest, but all three islands are rocky. Its residents speak mostly Irish. The karst limestone gives the terrain a gray and rugged appearance, interspersed only with the green of vegetation, stone walls and homes scattered here and there. It is very much reminiscent of the landscape of the Burren, in County Clare, as well.
What to See on Inishmore
Despite the unique landscape, Inishmore offers stark and dramatic coastlines, where the Atlantic Ocean pounds into this edge of Ireland. There are a few Iron-Age forts on Inishmore, including the Black Fort and Dun Aengus, which is right on the edge of a cliff with a sheer drop to the sea below. The edge of the cliff isn’t fenced off in anyway, so visitors should watch where they step!
A ferry from Rossaveal will take passengers to the pier on Inishmore, and it is from here that visitors can board a small bus that will take them around the island. The driver will reveal stories and commentary about particular sights, and one of the stops is for Dun Aengus.
Visiting Dun Aengus on Inishmore
Travellers should note it’s a bit of a walk to Dun Aengus from the bus, and the upward incline of the ground increases closer to the fort. The climb is worth it, however, for the view the fort offers across the glimmering Atlantic Ocean and the flat and rocky of terrain of the island’s coast.
There’s not much to Dun Aengus fort nowadays—there are walls built with stones in a horseshoe shape, really, and the ground is uneven in spots—but it’s location so close to a cliff may make a visitor wonder if any lives were lost here during the fort’s hey-day.
Back on the bus, the driver will take passengers past homes, buildings — there is nary a high rise in sight here!—and Inishmore’s sole bank, in a tiny building, and provide another stop at a cemetery, where gravemarkers of varying shapes and sizes reveal stories of those buried below.
How to Get to the Aran Islands and Inishmore
There are a couple of ferry services that run between Rossaveal in County Galway and Inishmore, with a ferry service running directly from Galway City reportedly in the works. Buses run from Galway City to Rossaveal and to Inverin, where small planes will fly passengers to the islands. A ferry crossing takes less than an hour. Travellers can also rent a car in Galway City and drive to Rossaveal, which takes about 45 minutes.
The set-apart location and uniqueness of the three Aran Islands, with their rocky and almost inhospitable-looking landscape will pique travellers’ curiosity. After a ferry ride from Rossaveal, visitors can hop on a tour bus that will take them to various sights around the island, including Dun Aengus fort, situated on a dramatic cliffside, bringing visitors to the edge of Ireland.
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