I've been looking forward to today since I decided last week to head out to Galway after our program was finished. While researching ways to see the Cliffs of Moher, I found the Galway Tour Company offered a day trip that included the Aran Islands and seeing the cliffs by sea as well as land. As luck would have it, the coach station was right behind my hotel which was great as it was a pretty cold and windy day. Our guide and driver for the day was Johnny who was an absolute hoot and great craic!
The trip to Doolin where we would catch the boat took us through the Burren which was an added bonus for me as I wanted to check it out. While we didn't get out and explore, it was pretty cool to see the limestone covered land. Apparently there are a lot of prehistoric and early Christian sites over the 10 square miles of the Burren. Will definitely come back on my next visit to western Ireland and explore some more.
When we arrived in Doolin, we headed straight to the pier where we took the Doolin Express out to Inis Oirr. Fun fact: Bill O'Brien started the Doolin Ferry Company in 1970 when two ladies from the US were visiting Doolin and asked if he could tell them a little about the Aran Islands. He said he would do one better and take them out there. Thus the Doolin Ferry Company began. While we were waiting on the boat, we had a surprise visit from three dolphins.
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| First look at the Cliffs of Moher while on our way to Inis Oirr |
First look at Inis Oirr
Before we got on the boat, Johnny told us about the best ways to see the island in the hour and half we would have there. We could walk the island, take a horse drawn carriage, ride in a trailer pulled by a tractor or take a nicely heated small van. Can you guess which I picked? Yep, the heated van because did I mention it was in the low 30's and 40 mph winds. Stephen whipped around the small stone fence lined "roads" of the island. As we came upon another car coming toward us, he would back down the hill until he could pull in so the car could pass.
The island is 4,000 years old and some of the 250 people that live on Inis Oirr can trace their roots back 4,000 years. The elementary school has 20 kids with 10 teachers and the high school has 30 kids with 10 teachers. Once they graduate, just about everyone leaves the island for college, trade school or work but Stephen said most come back when they are in their late 30's to start their families. Follows what Moma says "everything always comes home".
There are paddocks throughout the island with cattle and sheep. Fun fact: white faced sheep are used for wool whereas black faced sheep are used for meat.
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| Oldest house on Inis Oirr |
We stopped at the shipwreck of the An Plassy on our way to the top of the island. The boat wrecked off the coast on Finn's Rock in 1960. Fortunately there was no loss of life as folks on the island helped rescue the crew. The boat was headed to Galway and was full of goods that most people on Inis Oirr had never seen. Stephen said for some of the folks it was the first time they had a pair of shoes.
Next stop was O'Brien's Castle (Caislean Ui Bhriain). On a warmer, less windy day, it would have been a nice walk, although steep, to the highest spot on the island. The castle was built in 1400 by the O'Brien clan of County Clare. It was attacked in 1652 by Oliver Cromwell's troops as part of his claiming of Ireland for England. After much of the castle was destroyed by Cromwell's troops, it was never rebuilt or lived in again.
The winds were so strong up there I saw a guy trying to fall backwards but the winds kept him upright. I was afraid my phone was going to blow out of my hands!
Stephen dropped us off at the Inn on Inis Oirr at the end of the tour. We had about 45 minutes before the boat was heading back to Doolin so I popped in with Steven and Ross, two of my fellow single travelers, for a pint of Guinness (it really does tastes so much better in Ireland).
When we got back to the boat, I staked out my spot but on the advice of one of the crew, I headed downstairs as he said it was going to be a rough and wet ride back. He wasn't kidding as the swells were several feet high and it felt like we were riding on the wake of ships. You could barely see out the windows as the water was washing up the side of the boat. I stood at the back door just outside enough not to get wet as sitting inside just didn't seem like fun. Most of the folks got seasick...the crew was walking around handing out bags. Fortunately I have a pretty strong constitution and motion doesn't bother me.
After a quick stop in Doolin to drop off some folks, we made our way the cliffs. It was amazing to see them from the water!
While we were around the cliffs, the waters were pretty calm but as soon as we left the protection of the cliffs, they got a little rough again. I really did feel sorry for the folks that didn't fare to well on the boat. Back in Doolin and on solid ground, we stopped in the village so Steven and I headed into Gus O'Connor's for fish n' chips and you guessed it...Guinness.
Our final stop of the day was the top of the Cliffs of Moher. They were just as amazing from up high as they were from down on the water. There are two sides (north and south) of the cliffs. The south side has less railings while the north side has a stone wall along the cliff. Because the winds were so strong (45 mph according to my phone), Johnny recommended we stick with the north side. While normally I would throw caution to the wind (pun intended) and go to the south side, I had no intention of being one of those fools that was caught up in the winds and went over the cliffs.
The ride back to Galway was a pretty rainy two hours along the Wild Atlantic Way. By the time we got back to town, it was 7:30 and I was pretty beat so I just had dinner at the hotel bar. If you are ever in Galway, I would definitely recommend a day with the Galway Tour Company out to the Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher.
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