Inishmore

Yesterday, we finally made it to the Aran Islands. Cody and I were a little worried about the ferry ride, but it turned out to be pleasant, in spite of our expressions. 

We took a small bus around the island, and we had lunch in a nice little cafe. Our driver was a former salmon fisherman, and, like every other Irishman we have met, liked to talk. And while driving on these narrow roads filled with hikers and cyclists, he would occasionally turn completely around to make eye contact. Scary.

The island has a population of about 800, plus cows and seals. Lots of rock fences marking small plots  for farming. The seals don't look much different from the rocks, and they move about as much. 

What the island does have is Dun Aengus, a prehistoric fort dated to around 1100 BC. It is located on a high cliff around 100 meters above the sea. That may not seem a long way looking down the road, but it is a very long way when you look down at the waves crashing on the rocks.

What is amazing is that about a third of the fort has disappeared, falling into the sea. Also amazing is that you can walk right to the cliff's edge, even over the edge if you aren't careful. No fence, no warning, no security guard to tell you not to be stupid. Prime place for the Darwin Awards to be handed out posthumously.

 

Some folks won't even get close. Others get on their stomachs and inch forward to the edge - which would be what I did, once I secured my camera. It is absolutely amazing. The surf is breaking 100 meters under you - stunningly beautiful, and I have no photo that begins to show how incredible it was. Here is what I do have:

See? No perspective. Bad in life, bad in this photo. A seagull locked eyes with me about 25 feet out. You know the birds are wondering what all these animals are doing up there on this rock.

This is one of the walls, which is clearly marked as something not to climb on. So this guy does it anyway. No comments on nationality. 

This is an attempt at a panoramic over the edge. This one is a true 180.

This is one of half of the fort - on the land side.

This is the other half, on the cliff side.

That is the coolest thing I have seen on the trip. If my ride had not been coming down the hill in 15 minutes, I might have stayed up there for the rest of the tour.

We also visited the Seven Churches, dating back to the 8th century.

There was, of course, shopping, and Cody got an Irish sweater. While there are still those making the famous Aran sweaters on the islands, there are no longer any sheep, so the raw materials now come from the mainland. 

Once back on dry land, we grabbed dinner again in Lisdoonvarna and sped toward Killaloe. This is our latest B&B - yet another success for Vicki.

The view from his back porch:

Killaloe and its sister town Ballina are on each side of the Shannnon. Gorgeous views and apparently good pike fishing.