The beautiful fuchsia is one of the many flowers that can be found all over Inis Mór
Me in 2013 and also in 1989!
Most visitors to Inis Mór head towards Dún Aonghasa, make the climb to the fort and then return to Cill Rónáin to catch the boat. They never really see the real Inis Mór. I want to show you a few things we did so that if you ever visit you can escape the tourist trail!
We rented bikes and took the low road across from Ti Joe Watty's pub and stopped off at the new goat farm and had a look at the facilities. They haven't started production yet but have a good sized herd of goats that we were allowed to pet!
The new goat farm, I look forward to being able to buy their cheeses.
There are many ruins of small churches to visit along the low road. If you do venture up to them one piece of advise I'll give you is to check yourself for tics afterwards!Further along the low road, next to the old iodine factory is Seal Beach. We were lucky to catch sight of a few basking in the sun as the tide came in!
Some lazy seals at Seal Beach!
We made a quick stop at Dún Aonghasa as M hadn't see it before. There is no escaping the fact that Dún Aonghasa is utterly awe inspiring.
The spectacular Dún Aonghasa
The view towards Gort na gCapall and the east of the island from Dún Aonghasa
Leaving the tourist hoards behind at the fort we took a boreen over to the village of Gort na gCapall. We left the bikes behind and headed over the cliffs by the storm beach to Poll an bPeist or the Worm Hole as it's known in English. Most people will know it from the Red Bull Cliff Diving back in 2012.
Poll an bPeist, M is in the picture to the right to give some idea of the scale on the place
If the weather is as fabulous when you visit as it was when we were there then you might consider going for a dip. The water around Inis Mór is so clean. We cycled to Cill Mhuirbhigh Beach where the water looked like something you'd see in the Mediterranean! There were loads of people swimming and the general consensus was that it wasn't too cold!
Cill Mhuirbhigh Beach
The beautiful water, it's hard to believe that it's Ireland.
Clochán na Carraige is a beehive stone hut similar to those you'd find on Sceilig Mhichíl. It's centuries old, a place of retreat for monks wanting to get closer to God when Christianity was only beginning to spread across Ireland. I was annoyed though as some ass decided to graffiti the inside of the structure. Really, what do people be thinking?
Clochán na Carraige
The interior, you can see the graffiti in the upper right hand corner of the picture.
Dún Eoghanachta, near the village of An Srúthan makes a quiet place for a picnic! This centuries old fort is completely round and intact. While the path to reach it might be a bit over grown the views are worth the challenge.
Dún Eoghanachta
Yummy picnic lunch!
From Dún Eoghnachta it's only a short cycle to Na Seacht dTeampall, The Seven Churches. There are in fact only two churches, the other buildings are refectories, dormitories or outhouses.
Na Seacht dTempeall
Some of the saints graves in the foreground. The cemetery is still used by islanders today
At the other end of the island, near Cill Éinne, you will find Teachlach Éinne or St Enda's household. All that is left are the ruins of his church, a ruined round tower and a ruined high cross. Parts of the high cross have been cemented together in the church to preserve them. The rider on horseback etched on the high cross is said to represent one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.
Teachlach Éinne
A horseman of the apocalypse?
There is much more at the east end of the island to see. One thing you shouldn't leave without seeing is Dún Dúchathair, The Black Fort. It gets it's name from the black limestone that it's made from. Of all the forts on the island it's probably the least accessible.
The cliffs near Dún Dúchathair. Note the sea arch that's beginning to collapse.
Dún Dúchathair
Interior at Dún Dúchathair
These views are probably what prompted three girls to pitch a tent here the day I visited. I can't over-state what a ridiculous idea I think this is. Árainn is unpredictable, the weather even more so, the waves often crash over the top of the cliffs at this point. There is a lovely safe campsite just to the north of the island!
Good morning campers!
The only area that I feel Inis Mór lacks in is in terms of food. There aren't many places to eat on the island, much of it is slightly over priced and rather uninventive. Surprisingly there is little seafood on offer, the closest I found was fish and chips! Most menus we looked at were heavy on burgers and paninis. There were no craft beers to be found in any bars and most mainstream beers were served in cans. Our favorite meal was probably our picnic!
Food on the island was just OK
Finally it's worth pointing out how beautiful and serene the island is after the day trippers have left for the evening. Being on the island overnight is a really exceptional experience that I can't put into words. I'd urge anyone who's thinking of making the trip to stay at least one night. We had two nights at Pier House and I wished we'd had another! If you choose to stay overnight there is one hotel and plenty of B&B's. Tim Robinson's maps and book Stones of Aran are great investments if you want to get to know the islands better. All three islands are unique, they give so much when you put a little effort into uncovering them. No matter where I travel to they'll always retain a special place in my heart.
