Guest Blog: Deirdre O’Shaughnessy ‘Aran Islands’

Deirdre O’Shaughnessy is the editor of the Cork Independent and she tells us about her hidden gem….The Aran Islands!

“The West of Ireland is beautiful, but nowhere is its beauty and ruggedness more deeply felt than on the Aran Islands.

From the opening credits of Fr Ted to the dry stone walls and majesty of Dun Aengus, the islands are chock full of cultural references. There’s nowhere you’ll feel more in tune with Ireland’s past, and with a present that is as relaxed as it comes.

I first visited Inis Oírr for a three week stint learning Irish as a teenager, and ever since it’s been one of my favourite places in the world. A tiny beach of pristine sand and crystal water; a working pier where ferries and fishermen scramble for space; a tiny, ruined castle; and the invigorating walk across the island to the rock-stranded shipwreck (of Fr Ted fame); it’s like returning to an ideal version of home, time and time again.

Hopping on Bill O’Brien’s ferry from Doolin, feeling the salt spray in your face and the wind whipping against your hair, and seeing the islands materialise in front of you like some ancient sea animal, you’re transported to a different place.

For the tourist, it’s the ideal Ireland. Fields are in miniature, carefully carved out from the rock and scrub over generations and parcelled out among numerous children. Years ago, the tour of Inis Oírr consisted of a done-up tractor and trailor with seating for the tourists, over the island’s hilly terrain. It’s not a hard walk, though, and a pint and a bowl of soup at Tigh Ned, or tea and scones at Teach an Tae, will fortify you for the trip onwards to Inis Mór.

One Easter, we visited the islands, intending to stay overnight on Inis Mór after a walk around Inis Oírr. It never occurred to us that Good Friday would mean there wasn’t a toilet open on the entire island. There wasn’t a pub open, and the ferry hours were curtailed. Along with some very confused German tourists, we wandered the island for a couple of hours until the kind lady at Teach an Tae let us in, spotting a business opportunity, perhaps, but getting us out of a sticky situation at the same time!

Inis Mór is more developed, with excellent value bike hire and a major tourist attraction in the incredible fort at Dún Aengus. There are some good food options, and the B&Bs are exceptionally good value, as well as being very friendly indeed. (One landlady posted us a tracksuit pants left behind by a child in our party, without being asked).

A cycle to Dún Aengus for a look at the awe-inspiring clifftop fort is a morning well spent. On the way, stop and take in the panoramic view of the island and the wild Atlantic, and watch out for seals basking on the rocks on the eastern shoreline. The feat of engineering required for our ancestors to build Dún Aengus – there were several phases of construction, which are believed to have begun around 1100 BC – with no tools to speak of and on the side of a cliff – is breathtaking.

After a cup of tea and some excellent cake in the nearby café, hopping on the bike again to return to Kilronan via a quiet pint in Tigh Watty’s, is the perfect afternoon of activity.

There’s something incredibly peaceful about the Aran Islands. It’s not a land apart from time, but it can feel like that, when you know that looking out at the Atlantic, there is nothing for a thousand miles.”