Inisheer Travel Guide

 pure1942 Says:  While it may seem that the settlements on Inis Óirr are all part of one village, the settlements are in fact divided into several villages of communities. The main village is Baile an Lurgáin which is the closest village to the pier and has most of the facities and services... 

 pure1942 Says:  Teampall Chaomháin or the Church of St. Keevaun is located directly below O’Brien’s Castle and Castle Village but without knowing about the church you could miss the unusual and interesting remains of this ancient church. Situated in a sunken hollow in a mound of earth and... 

 pure1942 Says:  It might seem a strange thing to include in a ‘things to do’ tip on Inis Óirr, but the dry-stone walls of Inis Óirr really are one of the most impressive and thought-provoking sights on Inis Óirr. The miles and miles of stone walls which mark out the tiny plots of land on... 

 pure1942 Says:  Inis Óirr, like all the Aran Islands, is essentially an extension of the Burren in County Clare. The unique rocky landscape and unusual formations are a sight in themselves. The cracked surface of the landscape marks out much of the land in a grid pattern kwon formally as... 

 pure1942 Says:  Many of the unique plant growth witnessed in the Burren can also be found on Inis Óirr and the other Aran Islands. The peculiarity of the plant life around these parts of Ireland is that Mediterranean, Arctic, Alpine and Temperate varieties of plants grow together in the one... 

 pure1942 Says:  The small island of Inis Oirr is blessed with a beautiful and clean beach which can be nearly guaranteed to be uncrowded apart from the height of the summer when sunny days sees many ‘mainlanders’ make the trip over the island beach to enjoy its clean sandy beach and clear,... 

 pure1942 Says:  On the road to the Plassy Shipwreck, you will pass the peaceful lake, known simply as Loch Mór (Big Lake) This, the only natural freshwater lake on the island has uncovered evidence from its plant and pollen samples that the island was once covered with forest thousands of... 

 pure1942 Says:  Tobar Éinne or the Well of St. Enda is located around a mile south of the pier and village of Baile an Lurgáin. The small well may not look very impressive but is an important part of Island tradition. Locals still regularly visit the holy well, to pray and bless themselves... 

 pure1942 Says:  The crowning glory of Inis Oirr is the impressive 15th century O’ Brien’s Castle, but what many visitors fail to realise is that this castle is built inside an even older stone fort known as Dún Formna. The rings of stone which surround the castle are the remains of this... 

 pure1942 Says:  If you have more time on the island, walking around the maze of narrow roads and tracks on the island is one of the true pleasures of a trip to Inis Óirr. Nearly all the roads are lined with the famous stone walls of Aran and away from the pier and villages you can have the... 

 pure1942 Says:  Better than any of the above suggestions is renting a bike. Cycling around the narrow roads and tracks of the island is the best way of seeing the beautiful landscape and historic sights and renting them is easy. There is a bike hire place near the pier on Inis Óirr and... 

 pure1942 Says:  Traditionally the Inis Óirr was car free but in recent years, cars have popped up on the island. However, driving is not recommended to visitors due mainly to the unavailability of car rent and to be honest you won’t need one on this small island. Car insurance is also a bit... 

 pure1942 Says:  Ferry from RossavealRossaveal has been the traditional departure point of ferries to the Aran Islands and people visiting the Connaught province (Galway/Connamara, Mayo, Sligo) will use the services from Rossaveal. Aran Island Ferries and Aran Direct offer ferry services to... 

 pure1942 Says:  Ferry from Doolin to Inis ÓirrThe ferry service from Doolin in Co. Clare has improved considerably in recent years and is a convenient way to reach the islands for visitors who have been travelling around the south west of Ireland – The Burren and Cliffs of Moher are very... 

 pure1942 Says:  As an official Gaeltacht area, all road signs and public notices are in Irish. Signposts to sights of interest are often just in Irish so it’s good to know the names of the places in Irish. It is also important to recognise road signs in Ireland especially if you are driving... 

 pure1942 Says:  The world famous woollen sweaters of Aran have their roots in the fishing traditions of the island men. The women traditionally made the wool from the sheep’s fleece while the men knitted the sweaters using goose quills as needles. The traditionally cream coloured sweaters... 

 pure1942 Says:  Inis Óirr is a designated ‘Gaeltacht’ areas which means that the first language of the local islanders is the ancient Irish language (Gaeilge). The Irish language is a form of the old Gaelic language spoken by the Celts and is one of the official languages of Ireland. There...