Aran Islands

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Saturday, January 17, 2015 - My roommates and I took a day trip out to one of the Aran Islands, Inis Mor. To get to the Aran Islands from Galway, we took a shuttle about 1 hour north of the city and then an hour ferry ride out to the Islands. The shuttle bus was rather scenic along the western coastline of Ireland and also had great views of the mountains. The ferry boat was also very scenic with the mountains and exploring Galway Bay. However, the waters were a bit choppy and did not make the water as enjoyable as it could have been. (It was not as smooth as the ferry boats back in Seattle, and I don't know if Dr. Shepherd from Grey's Anatomy would have liked ferry boats as much if he had been on this boat) When we arrived at the docks, a man greeted us and offered to take us and a few other tourists around the island for the day. Since it was chilly outside and we were far from some of the main sites, we took him up on the offer and it was well worth it! On the ride we learned that there are two primary (elementary), one secondary (high school), and one college on the island. The college allows the mainland Irish to study Gaelic, the native language of Ireland. Our guide dropped us off for about two hours while we hiked up to see the cliffs and ring fort. The hike took about 15 minutes and was less windy than the Cliffs of Moher. However, the ledge was much steeper and unlike the United States, there are no warning signs. After our hike, we had lunch and did a little shopping for the infamous Aran Islands wool products (sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens, and other accessories). We were then picked up by our driver and he drove us to other parts of the island. We were able to see traditional Irish homes, a beach where seals can be spotted, and a cemetery. At the end of the tour, we were dropped off in town near the docks. We were pretty cold from our day that was mostly outside and in a semi-heated van. We stopped in at "The Bar" but found that it too was not heated. I tried my first Irish coffee which helped the coldness and we visited with an Italian woman who was studying at the same university as us. We made our way back onto the 5:00 ferry and the bus was there waiting at the docks to take us home. It was definitely a beautiful place to see and the traditional lifestyle made it a unique place to visit in Ireland!

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