The Island before Time

The Island before Time

   To match the numerous shades of green that color Ireland’s hillsides, there are also numerous types of places to visit. There is the hustle and bustle of tourist-filled Dublin, the quiet home-feel of towns like Thurles but then there is a place, just off the coast, that takes you to a land frozen in time.
    The Aran Islands are three islands near the Galway Bay on the western side of Ireland. There is the ‘east island’, Inis Oirr, the ‘middle island’, Inis Meain, and the ‘big island’, Inis Mor.
   Inis Mor is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland. The only way onto the island is by ferry or plane. The ferry departs from a port an hour outside Galway and the ride is typically 40 minutes depending on weather conditions.
  John Espey, Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TNCIS) program director, said he felt the ferry ride alone was an experience. 


Historic Legacy
   The landscape, history and authentic culture of Inis Mor draw people from all over the world. Espey said TNCIS decided to visit the island because of its history and reputation.
   “It is remote and holds the history of the knitting,” Espey said. “The people were very isolated from the mainland for centuries. Seeing the very quaint shops on the far side of the island really set the stage for getting a sense of centuries of a rather rough existence.”
   Despite being popular, the island maintains its old-world feel.
   “It is the islanders that contribute to this, their pride and respect for their culture and island,” Clodagh ni Ghoill, Inis Mor resident, said. “There is a uniqueness, sense of freedom, peace and the calm, that one feels when on the island. It is a stress free experience.”
   Ghoill, who is the proprietor of the Ard Einne Guesthouse on Inis Mor, was born and raised on the island. She now provides accommodations for visitors who come to visit. Ghoill says the Aran Islands have always been culturally connected to Ireland and they have a rich Irish history from the Celts and Fir bolg period and the monastic period which was around 500 ad.


Personal Experience
   Upon arriving in the port city of Kilronan, TNCIS student Greta Beil saw tour vans and rental bikes to take her and her friends around the island.
   “It was raining, so we all hopped in the closest van we could find just to stay dry,” Beil said, junior at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. “Our tour guide was great,” Beil said. “He was this happy, little old man that knew everything there was to know about the island.”
   Because of the island’s landscape and history it is often referred to as an outdoor museum.
   “He told us there was over 20,000 miles of hand-built stone walls around the island,” Beil said. “And seriously, the walls were everywhere. It amazed me how they were still standing since the weather is so windy and rainy there. There were stone houses too with thatched roofs that the guide said were built thousands of years ago.
   “There were no commercial stores either, just little shops with mostly hand-made stuff. My friends bought wool hats from a lady who was literally making them right in front of us.”
   While on the tour Beil said they came across quite an interesting sight.
   “We were just driving along, looking out the window, then I screamed ‘donkey!’,” Beil said. “Right there on the side of the road, looking over a stone wall was a donkey’s head. It was pretty much the funniest thing I’ve ever seen. It looked like it was just floating.”
   Beil said the group got out of the van and took pictures with the donkey that turned out to be ‘really friendly.’


Things to See
   There are several historic sites on the island. Perched on the edge of a 100m cliff plunging straight into the Atlantic Ocean, Dún Aonghasa is a prehistoric fortress dating back to 1000 BC. It is the island’s best-known attraction.There are three forts on the Inis Mor, Dún Dúchathair, also referred to as The Black Fort,  Dún Eochla, and Dún Eoghanachta. All three have unique architectural qualities that bring appeal to tourists.
   Na Poill Seideáin, The Puffing Holes, are two large, circular holes about 100 yards from the cliff edge, where the sea water will "puff" up through as waves crash into a cave beneath the cliffs.
   Na Seacht dTeampaill, The Seven Churches, is an ancient monastic site, with two churches and several out buildings. Students from the TNCIS group were able to visit here.
   “It was almost creepy,” Jessica Copeland, junior at East Tennessee State University said. “There were a lot of cemeteries and building ruins which made it seem almost like a haunted place.
   “But then again, the history of it was beautiful. I felt like I was somewhere important, you know, standing where so much has happened throughout history.” 

Life on the island
   Inis Mor, with a population of 850 people, is one of the only places in Ireland where Gaelic is still spoken as the first language. All native born islanders are raised bilingual in English and Gaelic. Clodagh ni Ghoill, one such native born islander said that her favorite part about Inis Mor is where she lives on the island.
   “The guesthouse is overlooking its own beach and St. Enda Church,” Ghoill said. “It is elevated up on a hill with the spectacular views of Galway Bay, Connamara and Clare Coastlines.”
   According to Ghoill, the main industries on the island are tourism and fishing. However, she said there are some residents that commute to work on the mainland daily.
   There are three kinds of schools on the island, Pre-school, Primary school and Secondary school. Remy Hamel, another member of the TNCIS program met some school-aged children. 
   “This one kid had orange hair, not red, orange,” Hamel said. “We asked him what they did for fun and he told us about a playground they hang out at near his school. It was amazing. It was really colorful, especially on such a rainy day and even had a little zip line. 
   “We ran into more kids there and talked to them about what school was like. One of the girls said sometimes class sizes are as small as two kids.”
   Ghoill said that children receive the same education as other children in the country and they do have internet and phone access. Ghoill also said that the island has no crime at all and describes Inis Mor as a ‘haven.' “When visiting the Island, it is important that in order to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the island, one must stay on the Island for a few days to get the true feeling of Island life and 'timelessness.'”
   If planning a trip to Inis Mor, one might want to forget their watch, for time is lost there anyway. 

More Info at http://www.aranislands.ie/Inis-Oiir/inis-mor-island/

 Photo by Jillian Boreing. John Espey with a donkey on Inis Mor Island. 

 

Photo by Jillian Boreing. Graveyard and building remains at Na Seacht dTeampaill, The Seven Churches, on Inis Mor Island.