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Inis Meain Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see photo_1 Inis Meáin (Inishmaan) is the middle island between Inis Mor and Inis Oirr. Its approx. 5km long and 2.5km wide. It has approximately 200 people although there are normally only about 160 islanders around at any time other than the weekends. On your first visit to Inis Meain you will be struck by its tranquil sense of being in another world. Inis Meáin is an amazing place and it is probably unique in western Europe. The people here are the most beautiful and traditional that you could meet anywhere and as you get to know them you will probably begin to understand what the charm of this little rocky outcrop is - Inis Meáin is nobility! Many of its visitors come back time and time again, some have been coming every year for over 40 years coming back to a place that is hard to define but easy to appreciate. If you ever read Synge's book "The Aran Islands" you will hard the story of a man 100 years earlier looked at Inis Meáin and thought "this is the last outpost of ancient Europe, I am privileged to see it before it disappears forever" - that sense is often shared by visitors to this day. Inis Meáin has stood solidly against the Atlantic Swell for many centuries, it's Gaelic culture has shown the same resilience, its ways and traditions run deep in the islanders' blood, as its limestone cliffs and, against all odds, has held the oldest tradition of Europe alive. Inis Meáin is a very quiet and peaceful place. It is an ideal location for a tranquil holiday - crime is unknown on the island and the lack of vehicular traffic make its roads safe for even the smallest of children to wander off alone. It has its pub and hotel where anybody can go for a relaxing pint in pleasant company, it has its restaurants and excellent seafood, it has superb scenery and views, great fishing, diving, fantastic people - take the risk - like myself and many other visitors you'll come back again and again and again. And if you don't get back you'll spend you're days wishing you could, honestly! Peace isn't easy to find but a visit to Inis Meáin will show you that peace is not the same as silence. Peace is something the local community here have generated in a friendly, lively, caring athmosphere. It would be important to state that it isn't really a drinking destination. There are two small bars on the island and they have both great athmosphere, but the island is ideal for bringing a young family, or for keen walkers, divers, nature lovers and generally for people who need to press the pause button for a few days. Irish is the main spoken language of the island and the cultural importance of this place cannot be understated. By Irish standards it is a very cheap destination compared with the mainland and the cities. There are plenty of rooms available in rental cottages, local houses, B&Bs and Hotels but there is neither hostel accomodation nor serviced camping facilities. _________Sights Edit This A MAGICAL LITTLE ISLAND - most people who come to Inis Meain come to see the amazing little world that has survived against all odds. This is not to say that the place is backwards, it is a progressive little community of highly articulate and hospitable. The most amazing feature of the island is its incredible landscape. These people live among a warren of dry-stone walls. These are protected structures and a regular visitor will even be able to recognoise the builder of the wall from its style. On a first viewing the walls seem remarkably similar, but it doesn't take long to realise that there are many variant building styles. The stone is almost exclusively limestone and the island's walls are bautifully clothed in wildflowers that grow from the cracks in the stones. There are also large pavement areas on the north of the island (near the airport). For those interested in Karst lanscape Inis Meain provides one of the best examples in the world. The myriad flowers and plenticul insects show the lack of pollution in the area. Probably the most amazing sight on the island is the winding networks of walls, roads and fields. DÚN CROCBHUR (Conor's Fort) THIS IS A MUST SEE Probably the most remarkable antiquity on the island, Dún Crocbhur dominates the skyline of the island's centre and is by far the largest of the ring forts on the Aran Islands. The fort is located in the centre of the island and approcahed by track. People with difficulty walking will not be able to negotiate the stiles in the stone walls. The fort is a national monument and it is forbidden to interfere with the loose stones of its structure, so no souvenir rocks! Little is known of the origins of the fort. It has one entrance and it would seem that it was a refuge from pirates and raiders as it would have been easy to defend. It is a rearkable structure of loose stone placed one on the other to make a wall that is over 3m thick and 5m high. The western face is built on top of a cliff. By the time any raiders had charged up the hill they would have been in no fit state to lay siege but a leisurely approach is recommended these days! The Fort's origins might be unknown but it is not an exaggeration to state that it's construction is as amazing as the passage graves of the Boyne or any other antiquity in Europe. It is amazing to think how an ancient people could have spend the amount of time to build this impressive structure. The ferrying of the millions of small stones is not remarkable, nor is the fact that they are slotted together in dry-stone, this is not an engineer's project, what is amazing is how such a simple structure remained standing all this time! DÚN FEARBHUÍ (Ferboy's Fort) This smaller fort is not as impressive as its big brother and is situated on the cliff facing Inis Oirr to the east of the island. Again its age is unknown and guesses from 700BC to AD500 are common. The gate is on the north of the structure but access is from the south. With the changes in topography you can climb into the fort from the south side with ease as you cannot approach the original entrance without considerable difficulty. LEABA CHINNDERIG - Saint Kenderrig's grave situated behind the priest's house in the middle of the island this grave dates back to the 7th century at least. Reported to be the resting place of a Leinster Princess the locals hold an annual mini-pilgrimage on the 15th of August to the grave and Saint Kenderig's Well in the adjoining field. Access is through the priest's garden and visitors should not be shy of passing through. TEAMPALL AN SEACHT MAC RÍ - the Temple of the Seven Princes Accessis through the priest's garden again and this little church is situated directly beside Saint Kenderig's Grave. The remains are unremarkable, all that stands is a rectangular wall structure with a doorway and one window. The monument is badly maintained and quite overgrown, as a result visitors rarely bother and leave the area after seeing Saint Kenderig's grave without regard to the old church. [Add Sight] Our Lady & St John Edit This The Catholic Church on the island contains some very beautiful stained glass made by the famous Harry Clarke studios. The stonemason who built the altar was the father of Patrick Pearse. (Pearse was the man who read the declaration of independance in 1916.) The Church has a delightful wooden interior and is a very nice place to go and light a candle. The Church is situated in the middle of the island along the main road just before you reach Dún Crocbhur. MASS TIMES There has been no priest resident full-time on the island since the late 1990s. As a result service more.. type: Churches and Cathedrals World66 rating: [rate it] openings: Daily 8am-dark tel: (099) 73008 ____________History Edit This photo How long has the island been inhabited? Archeological evidence abounds and shows that there were people living on this island probably as early as 700BC. The island boasts two impressive stone forts and countless minor antiquities. Sadly few of these reveal exact times of construction and there is little documentation to support most historical theories. What does the name mean? Translated from the Irish "Inis" means "Island" and "Meáin" means "middle" so it is widely accepted that the name means "Middle Island" The Ordinace Survey of Ireland charted the islands in the early part of the 19th century and it was then that the neighbouring island of Inis Mór received its name - prior to that it was called Arainn (the reason for the new name was put down to the fact that the island of Aráinn in Donegal had been chartered some years earlier and two islands of the same name were not desirable for navigational and military reasons). It is quite probable that the name Inis Meáin also dates from this period as there are no records to tell what it was known as prior to that. It is quite possible that the island was originally named for Mannann Mac Lir (the Celtic god of the sea) who alos lent his name to the Isle of Mann in the Irish Sea. Inhabitants - the fact that the surnames Flaherty and Faherty are common amongst the islanders show that the island was populated in the 14th century (at the latest) by the Lords of Connemara. __________Practical Information Edit This Shopping on the island is limited. There are two small shops offering general provisions, a small craft shop attached to the post office and a factory shop where you can purchase high quality knitwear that is made on the island. The working language of the island is Irish. Some of the older islanders speak no English so don't think they're rude or aloof when they can't give you directions. They are very friendly but appear very shy. The basic expressions are easily learned and I would recommend that visitors have the courtesy to make the effort and learn them. Dia dhuit (gee-a gwit) Hello (lit. God be with you) Tá an lá go deas (thaw on law guh jass) it's a nice day (common expression) Tá an aimsir go done (thaw on I'm sure guh dunna) the weather is bad (an even more common expression) Le do thoil (lead uh hull) please Go raibh maith agat (guh reve my a gut) thank you A NOTE ON THE IRISH LANGUAGE The Irish language is the oldest written language spoken in Europe today. Manuscrips from the 8th century include translations of biblical and other religious texts into the language. This makes it's written form 400 years older than German, French or Spanish. The language and it's antecedants were spoken widely throughout Europe in the Celtic age. Place names on the continent still bear remarkable similarities to older names such as Donau (the German for the Danube) comes from Donn Abhann and means "the Brown River", Madrid in Spain could link to Magh Droichead - "the ridge on the plain" the Belgian Ardennes from Ard Beann (high hills) and many other examples can be furnished. The arrival of the Aryan tribes from the east pushed the Celtic cultures further west and today the communities of Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Brittany, Cornwall, The Isle of Mann and Galicia are the only remnants of this great civilisation. The languages face an uphill battle to maintain their existence from the dominant languages of the countries in which they are to be found. Galician as a pure language is now unspoken as a dialect of Spanish replaced the original tongue some time ago. Cornish has fewer than 50 fluent speakers as English took hold. Breton and Welsh have undergone significant revival and Welsh in particular is largely spoken. Scots Gaelic and Irish were almost obliterated in the 19th century but Irish is experiencing a renaissance at the moment. There are approximately 1.7 million who claim to be proficient in the language but the Gaeltacht areas (traditionally areas in the west of the country) are in decline. Inis Meain is remarkably healthy as a Gaeltacht area. The island is a pure sanctuary of an ancient culture and to walk among its people is to touch the roots of European civilisation. Many visitors come solely to practice their language skills in an authentic setting, others come to sit surrounded by the language of bards, artists, poets, legislators, musicians, authors, saints and scholars! ___________Getting Around Edit This photo Fergal Cars are not common on the island, there are approximately 80 miles of road and fewer than 20 cars. Most of these are discards from the mainland and all of them run on diesel as petrol is not available on the island. Inis Meáin is one of the most beautiful places on the earth that I have ever walked. Walking (ag siul - pron. egg shoole) is the best way of seeing the island as there are a lot of hills (cnoc - pron kin-uk) and it can be hard to get up some of them on a bicycle (rothar - pron. ru-har) Mairtín Tom Mhór at the top of the hill as you walk up from the pier (céibh - cave) rents cycles at very reasonable rates. As there is no crime on the island there is no need to worry about locking your bicycle, just leave it by one of the many stone walls (claí - pron cleye) and it will still be there when you get back. Island Ferries allows passangers to bring their bikes on the boat. _______Getting There Edit This photo_1 Getting to Inis Meáin is quite easy. There are two ferries out of Ros a'Mhíl (Rossaveel) every day except Christmas and saint Stephen's Day. The ferries leave at 10.30 and 18.30 and return from Inis Meáin just after 8.30 and 16.30. Crossing time is just over an hour and the fare is 18 euro return. Island Ferries are the only service directly to Inis Meáin and their number is 091 572050. International callers +35391 572050 Aer Arainn Islands runs three flights in and out of the island and cost about 44 euro adult return. The planes leave the airstrip in Indreabhán (Inverin)telephone 091 593034 or international +35391 593034. Times vary but during the summer the planes leave at 9.00, 11.00 and 17.00 best check by calling but as you have to reserve your seat you will be doing that anyway. Crossing time is 7 minutes. A bus from Lally's Coaches on Merchant's Road in Galway city connects to the ferry and a minibus departs from the same point for the plane. Doolin Ferries in Co. Clare also run occasional trips into the island during the summer. __________Economy Edit This The islanders live primarilly from farming, fishing and knitwear. The tourist season peaks in the summer but the island is beautiful to visit at any time of the year and there is always a trickle of people coming and going. The local potatoes are grown in sandy soil and have a particular taste of their own. As the land is very rocky there are no mechanical methds of farming employed and in the Spring you will see the farmers turning the fields manually. Some of them are very skillful and you will be surprised at the eveness of the furrows. The favoured fertiliser is seaweed and in February and March the fields are heaped with black fucus vesiculosis - organic farming is a way of life here not a fad! The local fishermen fish for monkfish, salmon and lobster among many other species that are commonly found off the west coast. Mackerel, Pollock, Johnny Dory and Cod are often to be found. Many of the islanders take visitors and accomodation costs are surprisingly cheap for Ireland. There is a small factory on the island producing designer knitwear based on local traditional patterns and styles. The factory has a shop with incredible bargains for these luxury goods. The factory has a website at www.inismeain.ie ___________Museums Edit This TEACH SYNGE Teach Synge (Synge's house) wasn't his at all, he stayed in this house when he visited the islands and the descendents of his hosts have kept the place in remarkable condition. I supose it's more of a monument to a great writer and a memory frozen in time of how people lived at the dawn of the 20th century than it is a museum. The thatch on the roof is done the local way, piled on, covered with a large fishing net and tied to pegs set into the stone wall. The cottege is whitewashed and immaculate. There's a small cover charge to go in but it's worth it just to see the timelessness of the place which has been preserved by the family. In any production of the PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD the local people are always represented as squalid and unwashed. The fact that Peigí opens the play ordering the material for two dresses and then springs to her feet to sweep the floor of her little pub when she hears a visitor coming would indicate to me that the islanders Synge encountered managed to maintain some sense of cleanliness. The furnishings of the house and the style of construction would bear this idea out. In Synge's book "THE ARAN ISLANDS" he tells the origin of the play's plot. A man from Connemara was hidden by the islanders of Inis Mór when he fled there having killed his own father. The islanders gathered his fare to the US beliving that there was no point in sending a second man from the same family to his death when he would have to live with his conscience was sufficient punishment! [Add Museum] Synge's Cottage Edit This A delightful visit to this cottage costs 3 Euro and it is open to the public from June to September or by appointment. The cottage is listed as a small museum in guides to Galway and its county. The cottage is at the foot of the hill on which Dún Crocbhur is situated and is easily accessed. World66 rating: [rate it] ______________Tours and Excursions Edit This There are a number of islanders who will give either a walking tour or a trip in a minibus to visitors. It is possible to make a day trip to the island by taking the morning ferry out of Ros a'Mhíl at 10.30 and arriving on the island for 11.30. This gives about five hours before the return ferry at 16.30. Tigh Conghaile and the Bar are both quite close to the ferry so if you're staying for something to eat these venues would be better. If you're doing the trip by plane the Hotel is a much better option. Haste is not a word that is used much on the island ____Day Trips Edit This photo WALKING TOUR Máirín Mhéine provides a guided tour for walking tourists that takes in the main sights of the island. Her family are the custodians of Synge's Cottege. [Add Day Trip] Minibus Tour Edit This A trip showing the main points of the island. This tour is ideally suited to any first time vistor and/or person who might find walking difficult. World66 rating: [rate it] address: Comharchumann Inis Meain tel: +353 99 73010 __________People Edit This photo Fergal The islanders of Inis Meáin are Irish speaking. Whilst some of the older islanders can speak little or no English most of the others are quite fluent. However, it is important to respect that this little island is one of the most authentic outposts of an ancient civilisation and that over reliance on English can damage the cultural heritage of the island. Visitors can easily pick up a few words (cúpla focal) and should make an effort to speak this ancient and noble tongue during their visit. Many of the women still wear traditional dress. This is also true in winter when there are no tourists about. The clothing is practical for the island's climate. One of the most striking things about the local community is that they radiate a great sense of peace. The 200 inhabitants move quietly about the island tending to their cattle or walking the roads in the evening with friends. Life expectancy is considerably higher here than it is on the mainland and a large number of octogenerians are to be found. Employment has always been a problem for the island. Apart from the factory, the schools and a few other single jobs such as the post office and the co-op there are few jobs for women outside the hospitality industry (and that is seasonal). As a result a number of the women work on the mainland often as nurses or teachers but this leaves the island with a problem with maintaining its population. In its heyday there were over 450 islanders in living memory but that number is continually declining as death and migration clears the island. It is likely that the population will stabalise at about 150 but in the absence of new industry there is unlikely to be any growth in the foreseeable future. In the 1960s there were over 100 children in the primary school, this is now down to 11 and with only 6 pre-school children on the island the future doesn't look to be very different. Emigration has by far been the largest factor contributing to the population drop. Some islanders will tell you that there are almost 400 islanders in Boston! The island has strong links with the US and in the summer months children born in the US return to stay with their grandparents in a world very different to the cities of the New World. In a nutshell - these people are superb! __________Beaches Edit This i There are two sandy beaches on the island both are located on the north coast. TRÁ LEICHTREACH is by far the most popular. Situated between the rocky outcrops near the pier this beach is popular with families. The water is very clean and the beach very safe. There is a lane near the airstrip leading to a large open beach that is about 2km around. Not the kind of place to swim it is popular as a place to walk the strand. GREGORY'S CAVE on the west of the island you might find Gregory's cave. The area isn't signposted but if you start from the hill going up to Synge's Chair about 3/4 of the way accross the island's main road and turn right down the hill to the large water tanks, you will see an unusual road to your left. This is the only strip of road on the island that isn't fenced by stone walls. Follow up that road for about 1km and you will encounter a cove. This is one of the finest examples of a storm beach in Europe. The stones are egg-shaped from the constant churning of the Atlantic waves. At low tide the rocks are black with a natural mussel bed (popular with Belgians!) Sadly the storm beach lives up to its name. There are lots of plastic bottles and other debris washed up on the shore as fishermen from European trawlers cast their rubbish overboard. Soft drink bottles with Spanish and French labels are quite common as are bits of rigging, bouys and other chanelry. If you're a passenger on a boat in the Atlantic is is important to remember that the sea is inclined to cast up its rubbish on the shore, please don't throw things overboard! ______________-Nightlife and Entertainment Edit This photo As with any other rural venue the island boasts no neon lights, nightclubs or casinos. What is on offer is a friendly pub with lots f singing. The hotel provides ceilí and other dances during the summer months. [Add Entertainment place] Tig Choili Edit This Run by the youth of today, tig choili boasts an excellent nightlife after the closing of the pub. Available for the adventerous type, if stuck for a place to stay drop into the pub and ask for tig choili. Highly recommended by the young and old, a treat not to be missed. type: Clubs and dancing World66 rating: [rate it] ClosingTime: never address: Baile an tséIpéal, Inis meáin, Arainn. __________--Bars and Cafes Edit This photo There are two bars and three restaurants on the island OSTA INIS MEÁIN This is the traditional type pub and is situated on the main road that crosses the island. Cosy and intimate it has benefited from the smoking ban. The pub is rarely packed and the locals and tourists chat quietly. During the summer months musicians play traditional tunes. During the rest of the year a sing along can happen at any time. OSTÁN INIS MEÁIN The hotel is situated by the airstrip on the north of the island. A seemingly daunting walk from the more populated central road area it is well worth the effort. The hotel provides excellent bar food at reasonable prices, it has a restaurant by night and often runs ceilís, discos and other popular events. INIS MEÁIN RESTAURANT & SUITES This project was set up with the aim of enhancing visitor’s appreciation of the island by providing a style of accommodation and dining that is complimentary to the location. The building was designed by de Blacam & Meagher architects and is inspired by the surrounding landscape. The suites are simple and understated in styling, with ample space and views. The restaurant serves good local food, including lobster and crab fresh from the island fishermen's currachs. It is located 5 mins down the hill from the pub, in the direction of the knitwear factory. AN DÚN Situated on the main road below Dún Crocbhur this family run Bed & Brekfast also has a very good restaurant with home cooking. The Dún is also one of the two local shops. TIGH CHONGHAILE This restaurant an B&B is situated on the hill just above the pier where the boat arrives. Again this restaurant specialises in home cooking and maintains the highest standards. ___________Festivals Edit This photo Fergal LÁ NA gCEAPARAÍ - day of the sandwiches - this is a tradition on the 1st of January each year where tradition holds that it is good luck that a boy should be the first person to cross your threshold. The boys of primary school age visit the island homes and say a blessing for good luck, the householder rewards the boy with a coin and a currant cake. This tradition may have been common throughout Ireland but it has died out everywhere except on Inis Meáin. LÁ CHINN AN DHÁ LÁ DHÉAG - the climax of the 12 days - on the 6th of January the islanders light 12 candles in their windows to mark the end of Christmas. NA BRÍDEOIG - the little Bridgets - on the 1st of February the primary school girls makea mannequin of a woman and carry her from house to house. On entering they dance a jig and chant a blessing. The householder places coins in the Brídeog's purse. On Saint Patrick's Day (17th March) the men play a game called CAD. This game is only played on that day and involves placing a wooden jack against a stone, the jack is hit with a stick and flies up into the air, the player swipes at the jack to hurl it a distance. The one who gets furthest wins and as the game is played nowhere else the winner is the world champion! Saint John's Day, the 24th of June is the feast of the Patron Saint of the Island. This was marked with a mass at Cill Channain on the eve (this no longer happens as there is no resident priest on the island) and a bonfire at Dún Crochur on the high point of the island. RASAI INIS MEAIN - the annual sports weekend is held on the last weekend of July. Islanders and visitors can take part in a variety of sporting events such as football, road races, tug-o-war, throwing stones/weights and so on. The weekend culminates in the Currach racing (pictured above) where teams from the islands and other places compete over a distance of about 2km. The prestige event is the 3-man race but there is also a solo, junior and 1-man 2-woman event. MUIRE SA SAMHRADH - the feast of the Assumption on the 15th August - on this day the islanders make a traditional visit to the grave of Saint Kenderrig situated behind the priest's house in the centre of the island. They circle the grave seven times chanting prayers and dropping a small stone on each revolution. After the circuits are complete they proceed to a Holy Well in the neighbouring field to drink and make a wish. Traditionally they also tied a rag to the nearby bush. The cross on the grave appears to be a later addition and it is probable that this feast has its origins in some older and possibly pre-Christian festival.