Aran Islands

The Aran Islands lie off the west coast of Ireland, just outside Galway bay and a short distance from the Cliffs of Moher. For its size (roughly 9 miles long and 3 miles at its widest) Inis Mor (Inis Mór) or otherwise known as Inishmore would seem to have an unfair share of all that is best in Irish scenery, historical artefacts, natural wonders and living elements of the Celtic heritage.

Inis Mor

Inis Mór sports a few thousand miles of stone walls; there are remarkable stretches of limestone pavement, wonderful cliffs, coastal walks and interlinking trails. Panoramic views of the Irish coast from County Connemara to County Clare may be seen and, on particularly clear days, Mount Brandon in Kerry is visible on the southern horizon.

There are golden and stony beaches, and a fresh-water lake. No less than 437 varieties of wild flowers grow on the island; its fields and shores teem with wildlife.

The Aran Islands has numerous ecclesiastic ruins, prehistoric forts as well as two (known) megalithic tombs. Along the main road are many of the unusual and curious memorial stones. Of the forts, Dún Aongusa is one of the most eminent of its kind in Europe. The view of the island from its cliff-edged perch is truly awe-inspiring and the stretch of surrounding sea, no less so.

Inis Mor is a walker’s paradise.

On Inis Mor, the Celtic love of dance and song lives vibrantly still, and may be experienced first hand at frequently held sessions in most of the pubs.

Inis Mor is the birthplace of several writers, the most noteworthy being Liam O’Flaherty and Máirtín O’Direín. It was frequented by the distinguished playwright John Millington Synge (author of ‘Riders to the Sea’). It is the subject of numerous books, and proves continually to be of inspiration to visual, dramatic, literary and other artists.

There are shops which sell Island and Irish products. Traditional hand-knit Aran sweaters, fine hand-crafted model curraghs and the like are readily available.

Aran Wool

The Aran Islands are famous worldwide for their aran wool, most famously the aran jumper or sweater. Originally the jumpers were knitted using unscoured wool that retained its natural oils (lanolin) which made the garments water-resistant and meant they remained wearable even when wet. It was primarily the wives of island fishermen who knitted the jumpers.

Traditionally, an Aran jumper is made from undyed cream coloured báinín (pronounced “bawneen”), the aran wool is made into a yarn from sheep’s wool, sometimes “black-sheep” wool. Originally they were made with unwashed wool that still contained the natural sheep lanolin, helping it repel water. The island women spun their own yarn on spinning wheels upto the 1970′s.

Aran Sweaters / Jumpers

The Aran jumper or Aran Sweater. Even today, these classic wool garments still have an impact on the clothing industry. The Aran jumper and the Aran cardigan, are distinctive and unmistakable with their intricately woven patterns.

The aran jumper usually has 4–6 texture patterns each of which is about 5–10 cm or 2–4 inches in width, in columns from top to bottom. The patterns usually are symmetrical to a centre axis extending down the centre of the front and back panel. The patterns normally extend down the sleeves as well.

Gaelic

You will hear Irish or ‘Gaelic’ spoken, it is the day-to-day language of the Islanders, but we are fluent in English too!

Aran Weather

The aran weather is milder and drier than on the mainland, the air and surrounding sea pollution-free. You will sense that the pace of life is slower here.
Several days on Inis Mor is needed to absorb the island atmosphere, to delve first hand into its historical and archaeological treasures, to see it flora, fauna and fine views, to meet its people, sense the ‘ciúnas gan uaigneass’ (silence without loneliness).