Aran Islands

Ireland
 

 

Why the
Aran Islands
are special

The Aran Islands are known for their windswept barren landscapes etched with a patchwork of rock fences. They are also heralded for preserving their traditional Irish heritage.

Aran Islands
tips & insights

The three
Aran islands

Inishmore ("big island" in Gaelic)
If you can visit only one island, come here. It has the most to offer tourists, including imposing sea cliffs (see photo).
Inishmaan ("middle island")
This is the least intersting.
Inisheer ("castle island")
O'Brien's Castle is its chief draw.

Top Inishmore
attraction

Don Aengues is a 2,000-year-old fort designed with concentric semi-circular stone walls. This site audaciously sits on the edge of a 100 meter (330 feet) cliff.

Aran Island
sightseeing

You can take guide tours - or hike or bike for a do-it-yourselfer.

When to come

May and September are the best warm-weather months. Day-trippers outnumber Inishmore residents in the peak-summer season.

Getting to the
Aran Islands

Ferries connect the Aran Islands to several mainland harbors on the Galway Bay coast. Air service is also available.

Miscellaneous tidbits

Livelihoods
The three economic pillars of the Aran Islands are fishing, farming and tourism.
Language
Virtually all the islanders speak Irish (Gaelic), though most are fluent in English.

  

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