Visiting the island of Inis Mor.

We have reservation for the island ferry that takes people out to the islands just offshore.  There are three islands, and we are visiting the largest one.  It is about 8.5 miles long and 2 miles wide at its widest point with a population of 650. It has 1 priest, 1 doctor, 1 nurse, and 1 police officer. There is a primary and high school.

We need to catch our ferry by 8:30am and the walk down to the pier is over 30 minutes from here.  It will be an early morning, but it is hard to sleep in when you are in a tent.

The walk takes us down past several very old buildings which are pubs, stores, ... and some nice views of the coastline.

​There is also a golf course.  It reminded me a little of the Par-3 course my Dad and I would play when I was young just without any trees.

After a wait for the ferry to be fueled and the crew arrive, we were off to the island.

A little history of Inis Mor.

The island is over 6 miles off the west Irish coast in the Atlantic Ocean. This can make for some very inhospitable weather and waves. 
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The island was formed in an ancient sea of corals leaving almost the entirety of the island is made up of limestone. The island has little soil and inhabitants would bring seaweed and kelp out of the ocean and spread it out to dry. Eventually to break it down and eventually make the beginning of soil for planting. They have been doing this for thousands of years.  To realize that people would go to the effort to bring seaweed from the ocean and spread it over the rocks to dry and rain to wash away the sea salt.  Then over years eventually it would break down to make soil.  Wow! That is some dedication.  This is the definition of planting a tree knowing that only your descendants would enjoy the fruit.

At first people only fished, hunted birds and seals.  Eventually the soil as described above was thick enough to grow grass for animals.   Finally, the soil was thicker in small areas to support some crops.  Much of the water on the island is from run off into cisterns and small ponds.  This has always been a difficult place to live.

There have been different ancient cultures.  Several structures on the island are old. One being an over 3000 year old fort. 

During the Cromwell's conquest of Ireland, Inishmore was used as a prison camp for Roman Catholic priests who were arrested while continuing their priestly ministry in nonviolent resistance to England's 1653 decree of banishment. The last priests held on both islands were finally released in 1662.

​Several movies were filmed on the island.  Most recently "The Banshees of Inisherin" was filmed here in 2022 staring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.  We are made aware because our tour guide was in the movie with horses and carts.  Also, The Matchmaker (1997), Leap Year (2010) and The Amazing Race 12 with teams needing to find Teampall Bheanáin a church ruin which has sat empty for over 1000 years.

​As we arrived at the pier at Kilronan, which is the only town on the island, it was obvious that the tide change was dramatic in the bay.  

The approximately 250 residents of Kilronan make up the majority of the residents. To meet the tour, we needed to walk down the 600-foot pier and into town and the other side of the bay.

We were thrilled that there is a grocery in town.  With a few minutes till we meet our tour, it seemed worthwhile to find the store.

It is amazing how happy finding a grocery can make you.  Being nearly lunch time, we decided to get something to eat and drink.  We will be back here for supplies before the ferry trip back Doolin.

We walked along the shore till it was time to meet our group.

We are to meet Thomas Faherty Tours for our horse buggy ride at 11:30am and will be back to meet our ferry after 3pm.

We are seated right up front.  I think we will get to smell the horses the entire tour.

Swans

We stopped to see the seal colony.

After the seal colony, our guide told us the story of Brendan the explorer who visited the island in the year 501.

A bit more history:
St Brendan (or Bréanainn in Irish) was a member of a group of priests who were trying to spread Christianity in Ireland. At some point he had a vision or call that he should travel across the ocean to find the Promised Land or the Garden of Eden.

Brendan and a small crew of monks set sail in a hand-built boat made of wood and ox hide, known as a currach.  His manuscript describes several islands/lands they found on the journey.  

Island of volcanos (sounds like Iceland)
Islands with giant grapes and singing birds (Ok?)
A sea creature mistaken for an island (possibly a whale)
Encounters with sea monsters and angels in disguise. (Your guess is as good as mine.)
After seven years, he allegedly reached a mysterious land and returned safely to Ireland to tell the tale.

The interpretation of the journey is that the group landed on Iceland, Greenland, and even North America.  He started the journey in 512 AD and returned to Ireland 7 years later. 

It is speculated that Columbus may have read or heard of the manuscript which may have influenced his exploration.

It seems that several groups claim to have found North America before Columbus.

We rode through the island.

Our next stop was at a store and ice cream shop where we could walk up to a 3000 year old fort ruins over looking the cliff.  They know how old the structure is but little about the people who built it.   Just to add a bit to the excitement there is no protective barrier or even a rope to keep people from walking right off the cliff edge. 

When we got back down to the parking area to shop and get some ice cream.  There was a huge bicycle parking area.

Flowers and shells...

We headed back to town.   More pretty countryside.

When we reached an especially tall hill the guide asked us to walk ahead to the top.

The Thomas Faherty Tour was great. The town on Inis Mor was lovely. We want to come back here and spend weeks in the west counties of Ireland.

Back in town we got ice cream and a magnet.  We were dropped off near the grocery.  There were a few things we wanted.  Cheese,  lunch meat, mustard,  wine, butter, chocolate chip cookies (or Biscuits as they call them)

People are already queuing for the ferry.    It was completely full for the trip back.

As we approached the coast, we got our last view of the cliffs from the sea.

​Dinner in Gus O’ Conner’s pub.  Full of good food, we started walking back to our tent.

Just about halfway back to the campground, we hear ravens or crows pitching a fit up on a hillside. Then we see a large fox was up there.