Dún Aengus Tour (Dún Aonghusa)

As you head west through the island, via the high road or the King's road, you will see Cill Rónáin, the island principal village, which is named after St. Ronan who formed a church here in the 5th century. The top half of the village is known as “Baile an Dún”, and it is said that a ring fort once occupied this site.

As we head up to the top of the hill the next notable structures are “the leachtaí” or memorial stones which were first erected by the Fitzpatricks in Cill Éinne, in the late 17th century. The islanders began building them in the early 18th and some are dedicated to people who died abroad, and some to drowned fishermen. There are over 20 of those memorials on Inis Mór. To the west is the highest point of the island.

You are now in Eochaill ( Oughill ) which derives its name from Dún Eochla, a late Bronze Age ring fort and its name means Yew wood “Eo Choill”. This fort commands some of Aran's most spectacular views. From here, on a clear day 5 counties can be seen, Kerry, Limerick , Clare, Galway and Mayo.

To the west is the old signal tower; built in 1799 after the 1789 rebellion to protect Ireland 's west coast. Similar buildings can be seen on Golam Island and Inis lorr. Signals were sent by light and semaphores – flags.

Beside this is the island's first lighthouse which began its short working life on a May Day 1818. Unfortunately the lighthouse was ill positioned and was blind to ships in the Gregory Sound and when rounding Earrach Island to the west. It was decommissioned when new lighthouses were constructed in Killeaney Bay and on Earrach Island to the west, though it was manned during both world wars.

Heading west again we come to Oughill Church , Inis Mór's oldest Roman Catholic church; b0.uilt in 1848. Also to the left are some of Aran's few remaining Thatch Cottages and should be noted as they are in danger of vanishing from Aran's landscape. Thatching takes place in September and around St. Martin 's Day in October when good weather is guaranteed. The thatch is unique to the island and is of Rye grass grown locally. Some of those buildings are 2 or 3 hundred years old. When viewing, local's privacy should be kept in mind.

Journeying westward we pass by the Church of the Four Comely Saints, Brendan, Breacan, Fursa and Conall, who are reported to be buried under the eastern gable. South of the church is Tobar an Cheathrar Álainn, about which John Millington Synge wrote “The Well of the Saints” . Also to the east of the church is “Tobar na Súil” the well of the eyes, which is said to restore sight. Also to the south on the hillside is a wedge tomb and remains of a massive multi village ring fort dating to about 4,000 B.C. As we leave behind Baile na Creige and Corruch we head down Gregory's Hill and the remains of the blacksmiths house still in use in the late 60's.

As we make our decent to Cill Muirbhigh (The church of the Murvey) and westwards around the stunning white beach (awarded Blue Flag) we arrive at “Cnocán na mBan” the hill of the women, small graveyard, still in use today. It is said that it was from this hill that the O Brien family watched as a 14th century land feud left many people dead.

Kilmurvey Village : a place for a cup of tea / coffee and a meal in any one of a handful of cafes. It's also a great place to browse the craft shops.

Now we stand at the foot of one of the worlds famous monuments, Dún Aonghusa, which stands on the highest cliffs on Inis Mór. Built some 4 thousand years ago, its walls encapsulate some 14 acres and boast a splendid chevaux du frise. More information may be obtained in the Interpretive Centre before you commence your walk/climb.

As we skirt along the coastline to Cill Muirbhigh again we arrive at the Man of Aran cottages, built as a set for the world acclaimed 1942 movie “The Man of Aran”. Directed by Robert O Flaherty it depicted life on the islands, the making of land, fishing Basking Shark and fishing from the cliffs, the storm scenes in the movie are to be noted. The actors who were chosen locally were Tiger King, Maggie Dirrane and Pat Dillane. Another movie by O Flaherty, “Nanook of the North" has also won world wide acclaim.

Rounding the bay we veer to our left and head eastward on the lower road or ‘An Bóthar ó thuaidh' as it is known locally. Here looking from left to right wonderful examples of the cultivation of the island can be observed, from barren rock to small green fields.

Moving east again we will see a seal colony which has in the last number of years appeared and grown in size to about 15 or 20 seals. It must be noted that they can only be seen at low tide.

To the right of Corrough shore is the old kelp factory, first set up in the late 18th century by the Galway Marine Salts Company, to take advantage of the rich seaweed growths on the Aran coastline. Here seaweed was burned in large kilns, for approx. 12 hours. A byproduct of this was iodine which at the time was in great demand for medical uses, ice-cream and make-up. Unfortunately due to falling prices and war, the factory had a short working life, although kelp was still produced independently by locals for a time.

A short distance eastward we come to Mainistir , which gets its name from St. Ciarán's Monastery. It was founded in the 5th century by St. Ciarán, who was later to found Clonmacnoise, in Westmeath. The site, one of the islands most ancient, had been occupied for some 4,000 years as suggested by the Aharla or burial mound which is thought to hold a tomb with burial urns inside, though it was later used as a graveyard. St. Ciarán's Church no longer exists but on its site a later church was built from the remains of the Monastery of Connaught probably in the 8th or 9th century and is a culmination of early Christian Romanesque and Gothic architecture. The monastery was raided by Vikings in the 9th century and burned. It was also one of the last these churches to have a roof, and was used during penal times. It is said that people would row from the Connemara coast to attend Mass. Other features of interest are the remains of a sundial and some wonderful early cross slabs that surround the church, also the Salmon well.

As we leave St. Ciarán's Monastery a small cross marks the site of the only casualty of the Black n Tans occupation of Aran. It is here that a ricochet bullet killed Laurence McDonagh as he attempted to go to Sunday Mass. Also on this hillside is Teach an Máilleach, the remains of O Malleys house, who it is said had 7 schooners that traded to North America, ferrying people from Galway to America and brought cargos of pine back to Galway.

We are nearing the end of our journey and as we come back to the village of Cill Rónáin we see on our left St. Thomas ', the remains of the Protestant church on the island. Sadly, today it is derelict. Other buildings of interest are the old Barracks, now the Post Office and Lucky Star Bar and the Coast Guard Station, today the Heritage Centre and Garda Station.

However you travel, on our island we hope you have a wonderful experience and we would be glad to share our expert knowledge with you, and spend time to make your visit one to remember.

“Slán go Fóill!” - Bye for Now!

The Aran Jarveys Association
serving the public since 1898