Aran Islands

The three Aran Islands - Inishmor, Inishmaan and Inisheer - are long, limestone moonscapes of bleak but rare beauty. They are home to some truly ancient Christian and pre-Christian remains in Ireland. Irish is still the native tongue, and until recently people still wore traditional Aran dress.

The massive Iron Age stone forts at Dun Aengus on Inishmor and Dun Conchuir on Inishmaan are intriguing, little is known about their builders. The islands are criss-crossed by intricate stone walls, built over thousands of years and creating tranquil avenues of much-needed shelter from the wind.