Inishmore, Aran Islands: Discovering Authentic Ireland
Inishmore in the Aran Islands is a place that has lingered with us long after we left.
I’ve put together this comprehensive guide so that you can experience this wild, beautiful place yourself on your Ireland vacation!
Below, you’ll find everything from our recommended Inishmore accommodations, things to do on the island, and how to deep dive into the history and culture of authentic Ireland.
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Updated 6/2022 | Written 3/2016
Why You Should Visit the Aran Islands
The Aran Island Cliffs on Inishmore
As the itinerary for our road trip in Ireland came together, I knew two things had to happen:
I had to stay in a castle while we were there, and
we had to visit the Aran Islands.
Everything else was negotiable as long as both of those stipulations were satisfied.
I knew that I wanted to visit the Aran Islands in some capacity because they are isolated from mainland Ireland, something that's always appealing since I love to get off the beaten path!
Plus, they kept popping up as one of the must-do items in my research about Ireland.
I’m here to report that our experience on the Aran Islands was fantastic, and I HIGHLY encourage you to visit one of them on your trip to Ireland.
These are a must do for any travelers who want to experience authentic Ireland while learning about the rich culture, history, and language of these isolated communities.
Which Aran Island is best to visit?
PIN ME!
There are 3 islands in the Aran Islands: Inishmore, Inisheer, and Inismaan.
Each of the islands has its own offerings, though we chose to visit Inishmore since it had the most amenities.
Inishmore is the largest by area and population, while Inishsheer is the smallest Aran Island by area (but the second largest in population!).
Of all of the Ireland islands, the Aran Islands are the best since they’re easy accessible via daily ferry, and there’s so much to do on the them.
Why do the islands have 2 names?
The Aran Islands are one of the few places remaining in Ireland where Gaelic is spoken as a second language.
On your visit to the islands, you’ll see signs in both English and Gaelic. The island names in English are Inishmore, Inisheer, and Inishmaan, while their Gaelic names are Inis Mór, Inis Oírr, and Inis Meáin, respectively.
Are the islanders welcoming to visitors?
A huge, resounding YES! Everyone we met went out of their way to help us, talk to us, and make us feel like long lost cousins.
Our innkeeper took our luggage to our guest room so we wouldn’t waste our sightseeing time. Our tour guide introduced us to fun places across the island.
At the end of our night out at Tigh Joe Fitz, a local pub, my husband, myself and two other guests at our inn caught a ride from a very nice local guy who carried us from Kilronan back to Tigh Fitz. (More on that entire story below!)
Ireland, in general, is a pretty welcoming place, but the people of Inishmore treated us like family.
What You Need to Know about the Ferry to the Aran Islands
There’s only one way out for visitors interested in getting to the Aran Islands: via a ferry. (You could also go by private airplane charter, but I imagine that’s cost prohibitive to the majority of travelers.)
We only had the barest of details on how to find the ferry and what to expect, so I’m passing on my new found knowledge to you below!
Where to get the ferry to the Aran Islands
To visit the Aran Islands from Galway, you’ll first need to make your way from Galway to the ferry port in Rossaveel.
If you’re doing a road trip, you’ll need to take your rental car to get there.
You can also take the daily shuttle bus that runs between Queen Street in Galway and the Rossaveel ferry port.
Either way, it will take you about an hour to traverse the 35 or so miles between Galway and Rossaveel. There’s plenty of parking onsite if you’re driving yourself.
On a very, very cold morning in January, my husband and I packed up our suitcases in our Irish castle AirBnB and headed to find the Aran Islands ferry.
The GPS led us onto increasingly smaller roads until we were driving along this tight path that cut through some rocky terrain.
I was about to suggest that we turn around since we were out in such rural area when I saw a tiny ferry sign.
And, lo and behold, just around the corner was the ferry port!
You can buy your ferry tickets onsite or online—but, as a bonus for buying onsite, you might get a Gaelic pronunciation lesson from the ticket lady.
You’ll then shuffle back out into the cold to await our ferry's boarding since there’s not anywhere to wait indoors.
There weren't but a handful of takers for the Inishmore ferry--most of whom were native islanders heading home--so my husband and I took a seat by the window to make sure we got the best views.
Getting on the right ferry
Remember, there are 3 different Aran Islands, so you can’t request a general Aran Islands ticket.
Know which ferry is going to which island that day, and be sure to ask for clarification if you’re not sure where to go. The boats look nearly identical!
Ferry to Inishmore, Aran Islands
Be prepared for the Inishmore ferry!
Warning: the ferry can—and does—get canceled due to weather.
Even on a clear day, the sea can be rough and cause a stomach-churning crossing.
On the day we visited, the weather was cold and generally clear, but still the boat rocked and rolled once the trip got under.
I'm not someone prone to seasickness, but in the 15+ foot swells, even my stomach started feeling a little wonky.
Later on that day, we had several islanders tell us that we were brave to have come across in that weather.
Apparently, there was a lot of debate about canceling the morning crossing because it was so rough.
A very long 45 minutes later, we pulled into the Inishmore harbor--only to be greeted by sheets of snow and sleet.
As a general tip, prepare for large swells, and take some Dramamine before you get on the ferry.
Your innkeeper will meet you at the dock if requested.
This is one thing I LOVED about our time in Inishmore. Everyone was beyond welcoming and helpful.
Our innkeeper, Penny, had arranged to meet us at the Kilronan docks to carry us to Tigh Fitz, our highly recommended Inishmore accommodations.
(More on our stay there below!)
Your liaison from your hotel or guesthouse will help you get your luggage from the boat to their car.
Inishmore isn’t huge—only about 14 miles from end to end—but it can be hilly. You’ll appreciate the lift!
The Best Things to Do on Inishmore
After docking on Inishmore, my husband and I couldn’t wait to start exploring the island!
Here are fun things to do in Inishmore that will allow you to explore the island in full.
Rent a bike to tour the island.
If the weather is nice, consider renting bikes to see the island yourself.
You can rent them from Aran Bike Hire, which is located near the end of the Kilronan ferry pier.
There’s another bike hire closer to the village. Turn left on Cottage Road at the end of the pier and follow it along until you see the bike hire on your left.
For anyone beyond a beginner bike rider, the island won’t be too hard. There are hilly portions, but most people should be able to handle those stretches without trouble.
If you’re doing an Inishmore day trip, biking around the island will take most of your time since you’ll want to stop along the way.
Take a guided bus tour.
While I’d initially wanted to do a bike ride, the intermittent rain and sleet that day had other plans.
When our innkeeper heard that we wanted to go bike riding, she laughed and flagged down Noel Mahon, who runs Luxury Tours, a minibus tour of the island.
I hadn't wanted to take a minibus tour initially because I was afraid that it would be too touristy and rushed.
However, Noel did such a great job on the tour that I'm not sorry the weather prevented our bike riding.
Noel, whose family has lived on Inishmore for generations, drove slowly enough for us to take in the sights.
He even stopped at regular intervals so the people on the bus could get off and take pictures.
He was highly accommodating to all of our questions and requests, and I can’t recommend him enough.
We were treated to a running commentary on everything from the building of the island's stone walls to where you can find local goat cheese.
The nearly 3 hour tour costs $10 a person and was one of the most in-depth tours that I've taken.
Email him at mahonnoel1@gmail.com or call him at 087 778 2775 to set up pick up and drop off locations.
He runs both group tours and individual tours if you’d like something more personalized.
Our minibus tour of Inishmore
Visit Dún Aonghasa.
This Iron Age fort teeters just on the edge of the cliffs of Inishmore, and it provides incredible views of the surrounding cliffs and sea.
The site, also known as Dun Aengus, is about 4.5 miles from Kilronan.
Once you arrive, you’ll need to walk down a long stretch of path before ascending dozens of stairs.
The trouble of getting to the top is worth the experience of standing inside something that has been in this location since 1100 BCE.
At the top, you’ll have unencumbered views of the Aran Island cliffs—these rival the more famous Cliffs of Moher in size and beauty!
It’s just one of the Iron Age forts on the Aran Islands. There are others on Inishmore, like Dún Eoghanachta, but they doesn’t have the dramatic views of Dún Aonghasa.
The Iron Age forts and many of the stone walls on the island are dry construction, which means there's no mortar to keep it all together!
Explore the Seven Sisters.
The ruins of a large monastic site founded by St. Brecan are another must-see sight on Inishmore.
Located just above the community of Shrawnbeg on the northwestern end of the island, this property is also known as the Seven Churches, or Na Seacht Teampaill in Gaelic.
Funnily enough, there are only 2 church buildings here, not 7. The first is St. Breacan’s Church, named after the founder, and it dates to as early as 800 CE.
This site was in continuous use for centuries as the second church dates to 1500 CE.
At its peak popularity in the medieval period, mainlanders would make a pilgrimage to this site, much like the characters from The Canterbury Tales (though that was to a different location).
There are 7 ancient Romans buried in the corner of the graveyard, who made the journey to Inishmore 2,000 years ago but died of unknown causes on the island.
They were on the island thanks to the Roman desire to find new lands to conquer.
This is roughly the same time period when London—or Londinium—was also under Roman rule, so the Romans were all over modern UK and Ireland.
Grab a picnic.
The island's one grocery store is Spar, which is located off of Cottage Road.
Here, you’ll find a small but delicious selection of breads, deli meats, yogurt, salads, and more. There are a few grab and go sandwiches and salads, if you’re prefer something pre-packed.
You can also get cold drinks, too.
This would be a fun way to get lunch before heading out on your bike tour.
Find the Wormhole.
This geological oddity is way out of the way, but that makes getting there half of the fun!
The natural square of the pool seems unreal, yet it is the product of millions of years of perfectly placed tides and rough seas on this side of the island.
Bring sturdy shoes as there’s a 0.6 mile hike over rocky terrain to get to the natural pool near the tide line.
Definitely check the tide charts, and go at low tide. Leave yourself plenty of time to hike back before high tide.
If you choose to get into the Wormhole (which I don’t recommend), be aware that there are no ladders.
You’ll have to climb out via the sheer rock faces on each side, which requires a good bit of strength and water shoes.
To get to the Wormhole, head up Back Road until you see Liam O’Flaherty Commemorative Garden.
Then, find the small sign pointing the direction to the Wormhole, and follow the sparse red arrows until you reach the edge of the sea.
Embrace the Gaelic culture on the island.
During the summers, Inishmore holds regular ceilidhs, or dances. (It’s pronounced “Kaylees.”)
Since we were there in the dead of winter, we didn’t get to make it to one of those.
However, we DID visit a local pub for drinks one night, and had the BEST time.
While you’re on Inishmore, walk, don’t run, to Tigh Joe Mac’s, which is right next door to the Kilronan Hostel.
My husband and I, along with a couple we’d met at our guesthouse, listened to the trivia night called in Gaelic. Landon and I were little to no help with the answers since we can’t speak Gaelic, but it was still a blast.
Afterwards, we met half of the island's residents in the tiny pub, and we were picked to pull the winners for the raffle benefiting the local soccer field.
From left to right: the Northern Irish couple we met at the guesthouse, me, a guy who’d lost that picture of himself and his regiment from the '80s, and my husband at Tigh Joe Fitz
Even if you're not much of a drinker, spend an hour or two in Tigh Joe Mac’s--you'll end up with a completely new group of friends by the end of the second round.
NOTE: Irish drinking custom requires the first person in group who is done with the first round to buy the entire group the second round.
This means that, if you’re a slow drinker, you’ll end up with multiple pints of Guinness in front of you at a time.
You’ve been warned: pace yourself!
Buy a genuine Aran Islands sweater.
Shops near Dun Aengus
These super cozy and warm sweaters have been knitted by the island’s residents for centuries.
As the wool they use is water resistant, the completed sweaters are great for fishermen and sailors out on the cold seas.
Even the patterns woven into the sweaters mean different things—generally religious or nature-based—so your attire will tell a story.
You can find the sweaters all across the island in various shops, including at the Aran Sweater Market on the road to the left of the Kilronan ferry dock.
We purchased ours at An Púcán Aran Sweaters, which is located in a tiny hut near the pathway to Dun Aengus. The lady selling them was busy knitting more for future visitors!
The Best Inishmore Accommodations
After our incredible tour of the island, Noel dropped us off at our inn's front door, where Penny, the innkeeper, was waiting with our luggage.
The inn, Tigh Fitz is pronounced "Tee Fitz," not "Tigg Fitz" as I initially thought.
It was just across the bay from Kilronan in Killeany, and is an easy walk to and from the main town.
Along the walk, you’ll be treated to sweeping sea views, a cute bridge, and lots of stone fencing.
Back inside of the guesthouse, you’ll find a selection of rooms: some face out towards the bay back across to Galway, while others have an island view.
We had a bay view, so we were able to watch the boats in the harbor the following morning.
I loved that the keys for Tigh Fitz were old school keys, not the little plastic cards that hotel chains have these days.
It made our experience at this Inishmore hotel feel homey and welcoming.
Downstairs, there’s a sitting room, where you’ll find a warm fire going throughout the day and night.
While Inishmore is more temperate than most places in Ireland, it’s still subject to wind and rain like the rest of the country.
You’ll find that the sitting room is a great place to meet new friends. We met two other guests, a married Irish couple that was taking a weekend break there.
The four of us got along fantastically, so we made plans to head back out to a pub that night. It ended up being one of the best nights of our road trip in Ireland!
In the morning, there’s a hot breakfast waiting in the dining room at Tigh Fitz. Guests can have a full Irish breakfast with all of the fixins, simple toast and jelly, or anything in between.
We found the breakfast a hardy start to our day, and a much needed comfort after a big night out at the pub!
What Else to Know about Viisting Inishmore
One of the many thatched roof houses on the island
Noel Mahon, who runs the minibus tour we took, is also the island's unofficial chauffeur and taxi.
He picked us up to take us to the docks for our return trip home, he drove us to the pub for trivia, and he shuttles people to and from the small airport.
Triple check that you're on the correct ferry to the islands.
There are three Aran islands: Inishmore (Inis Mor, in Gaelic), Inishmaan (Inis Meain), and Inisheer (Inis Oirr).
All of the ferries leaving from Rossaveal look exactly the same and often don't have any signs on them, so make sure you are on the right boat!
During the summer months, you can take ferries to the islands from Doolin, too.
Everything is very laid back, so just go with the flow.
Ordinarily, I'd never hand over my luggage, laptop, and everything to someone I just met, but our innkeeper treated us just like family.
If you get stuck anywhere, just ask a local.
They're very likely to give you a ride or help you figure out what to do.
You can't rent a car on the island.
Your feet, a bike rental, or a ride from a friendly local are the only ways to get around Inishmore.
Gaelic is the first language on the island.
The local schools are taught exclusively in Gaelic, so the islanders will often converse with one another in it.
Don't fear, though, as they're all well versed in English, too.
Stay the night if you can.
While you can do an Aran Islands day trip from Galway, there are many more opportunities to dive into the local culture if you stay over and catch the morning ferry.
The hotels on the island are reasonably priced, so that extra night won’t hurt your wallet too much.
The weather is spastic...even moreso than the weather elsewhere in Ireland.
When we visited Inishmore, we were about halfway through our trip, so we were getting accustomed to the rain one moment and sunshine the next.
On Inishmore, though, it would be 50 and clear and fairly warm, and then, 15 minutes later, the weather would plummet and driving sleet would be falling out of the sky.
Seriously, be prepared for everything.
This is a great moment for a shameless plug of my all time favorite travel jacket: the Columbia 3-in-1 Bugaboo jacket.
It’s what I’m wearing in the header pic of this post, and I LOVE it.
Would you like to visit Inishmore in the Aran Islands? What’s the most remote place you’ve been to?
