Since moving to Ireland I had been excited about going to the Aran Islands. They are a group of 3 islands off the west coast of Ireland. While there, you’ll be sure to hear the locals speaking Irish. With only 3 pubs, 1 ATM and just one grocery store, you’ll feel like you’ve entered an antiquated and picturesque land. There are ferries available from Galway and Doolin to the islands. Search for information about the islands online and you’ll see splendid images of ancient sites, stone walls, cliffs and the sea. I idealized what our trip to Inishmore would be.
The Weather Turns Nasty
We went in April and our bad luck struck. My romanticized idea of our family trip came to an abrupt end. The weather was windy and unseasonably cold on the day we set out. We called ahead of time to make sure the ferries weren’t cancelled due to bad weather. There was a concern they wouldn’t even run. This should have tipped me off to postpone or cancel the trip. My limited experience with ferries was working against me. I’ve been on the slow moving Staten Island ferry more than a few times and it was always a peaceful, enjoyable and calm ride. I’m from Michigan and I have fond memories of the tranquil and short Mackinac Island Ferry ride. The fact that the Aran Islands are situated along the appropriately named Wild Atlantic Way should have perhaps tipped me off as well.
The Ferry
The Atlantic seemed especially wild when we crossed. We boarded and sat in an enclosed seating area on the upper back level of the ferry. The doors to the back of the ferry where you could stand outside were open. As the ferry took off I was excited. It didn’t take too long before new emotions surfaced. The boat began bouncing higher and higher. I started feeling uneasy and a little fearful. Joy was a distant memory. I knew there was no turning back and that it was a 45 minute journey. My kids had to come inside and sit down. Why? Because I was sure they’d go flying off the back end as the boat bounded higher and higher through the waves. The last time I had been sick in public was after a spinning ride at an amusement park when I was 14. I was really hoping I could keep it that way. Hope was fading fast. Meanwhile, my kids were smiling and laughing and loving it.
One of the crew members was a man who was walking the aisles with little striped plastic bags. He asked me if I was okay and I told him I wasn’t feeling great but I should be alright. I started getting warm and taking off my coat and he handed me a bag. He knew. As the boat soared in the air I tried to stay in my seat and aimed for the bag. I missed the bag….more than once. There wasn’t time to put my hair up and I had made quite a mess of my area. The crew member came back around and asked what happened? After all, he had given me 2 or 3 bags. I explained that I missed. He very kindly brought me his own personal stash of wet wipes. I tried to clean my hair, jeans and coat the best I could. Unfortunately, my daughter’s knitting project happened to be in the line of fire. I was never so happy to get off a boat. The next 24 hours were full of dread knowing I had to get back on a another ferry soon in order to leave the island.
A Little Exploring
We had made reservations at one of the BnB’s on the island. It was cold when we got off the ferry and I was still not feeling 100%. A tour bus guide took pity on us and offered a ride to our BnB where I was able to shower. Next, it was a 2.1 mile walk back to the area where the ferry had dropped us off. Along the way we passed lots of stone walls and a few donkeys. The donkeys were curious and came right up to the fence to see us. We ate lunch at one of the pubs on the island. The Aran Islands knitwear store and the Aran Sweater Market are 2 great shops that we browsed next.
The Ard Einne House – Bed and Breakfast
We stayed at the Ard Einne House and it was lovely. One of our 2 rooms had a window facing the sea. The staff was friendly and offered to set up tours or have bikes delivered for us. We didn’t plan ahead very well though. None of us were up for another walk in the nearly gale forced winds, so we rationed out our snack food for dinner. We nibbled on clementines, apples, a fruit leather each and some cookies and crackers. Parenting fail!
The next morning we were overjoyed that there was a breakfast ready for us. A table set up in the dining area displayed fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal. We also all ordered a meal from the menu. It was all included in the rate for the bed and breakfast and even better, it was good. The full meal eased our hangry pains and off we set for our day’s adventure.
The Tour Bus
Our scheduled departure time for the ferry ride back was 5pm. Just 7 more hours of trepidation as I tried to keep my mind off the voyage home. We had planned to explore the island on bicycles but it was just too cold, windy and rainy. We decided on seeing what we could on the bus tour. The driver picked us up and we headed to Dun Aonghasa. It is a stone fort that dates back to 1100 BC. It is on a cliff that is 300ft high. The tour bus dropped us off by a couple of cafes, a craft shop and the visitor center. The walk from the visitor center to the site is only a km but it is over rocky paths and uphill. It was very windy and the rain and hail pelted us. We were warned not to get close to the edge with the high winds. It was someplace that I am glad we got to see but I can imagine it is 100 times nicer in better weather! When we got back to the visitor center our clothes were soaked all the way through. We waited in a cafe with coffee and hot chocolate until the bus came back.
The tour driver gave us some fun information about the island as he drove. He pointed out a few locations from the movie Leap Year. He also told us there were 7000 miles of stone walls throughout the island. My favorite knowledge from the tour was learning about Leprechaun houses. Many of the homes we passed had very small leprechaun houses out front. They were miniature homes for leprechauns to live in and bring the homeowners luck.
One of many crosses – monuments to those lost at sea
The End of Our Trip
After our bus tour we bought a couple of things at the sweater shop and ate at another 1 of the 3 pubs. When it was time to board the ferry I made a run for the middle section and back lower level of the boat. I had been advised this was the best place for motion sickness. There was only one seat in that area available and the rest of my family moved to the front of the boat. I desperately tried to keep my eyes fixed on one point in the horizon out a window as we made our way back across the sea. The ocean tossed the boat and it skipped sideways more than a few times. A woman two seats down from me had her eyes closed tight, hands over her ears and slouched as low as she could during most of the ride. My husband spent the trip calculating how long he could survive in the waves while holding the kids above the water. I heard many people getting sick but managed to make it to the other side this time with just nausea and a sense of accomplishment. I really think that they should sell t-shirts that read “I survived the Aran Island Ferry!” My kids refer to it as our worst vacation ever. As for me, I don’t have any plans to get on a boat again anytime soon!