After breakfast, the motor coach took us along the Connemara coast to the village of Rossaveel. At the village’s harbor, we boarded a ferry and sailed to Inis Mor, the largest of the Islands of Aran.

The Aran Islands are a group of three rugged limestone islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland. Known for their sheer Atlantic cliffs, maze-like network of hand-built drystone walls, and deep-rooted Celtic heritage, they are a prominent Gaeltacht region where the Irish language (Gaeilge) is spoken daily. 

From the pier, we walked perhaps a half mile to the community center to experience a talk about the area’s civilization and history by one of Inis Mor’s most notable residents.

At the community center, we were met by Dierdre Ni Chinneide, an acclaimed Irish singer and composer. (She’s also a psychotherapist, spiritual director, and workshop facilitator). Dierdre Ni Chinneide lectured on Inis Mor, this last remnant of authentic Gaelic civilization, where Christian ruins stand side by side with remarkable Pagan relics. After the talk, she sang a beautiful song, exposing her delightful and engaging voice. It’s no wonder she is considered Ireland’s leading singer. She has two albums: Celtic Passage and I Will Sing for You available for sale.

Afterwards, we had the rest of the morning free, and set out in mini-van to explore the island. The beautiful Irish countryside yielded an infinite number of photo-worthy scenic views.

Our intent was to visit a couple key sites on the island, First was the Wormhole, a breathtaking, naturally formed rectangular rock pool into which the sea ebbs and flows through underground channels. Second was a world-renowned 3,000-year-old prehistoric hillfort perched precariously on the edge of a sheer 100-meter-high cliff. We found the sites to be a bit sketchy (slippery path, too far to hike, etc.) and crowded beyond comfortable. The views along Inis Mor’s narrow, winding roads did provide some interesting views.

The mini-van driver was friendly, accommodating, and sang a couple of songs, but he overcharged us compared to what we’d been told by other drivers! Kay had to pay in what USD she had available which was still a bit short.

All in all we found Inis Mor to be underwhelming and a huge disappointment. We met the rest of our fellow tourists at the Inis Mor harbor waiting on the ferry to carry us back to the mainland.

We returned to Galway via the ferry and motor coach, and enjoyed dinner with the rest of the tour group.