Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [348]
On the walk out to Synge’s Chair, a sign points the way to a clochán, hidden behind a house and shed.
In the east of the island, about 500m north of the boat-landing stage, is Trá Leitreach, a safe, sheltered beach.
Sleeping & Eating
Most B&Bs serve evening meals, usually using organic local foods. Meals generally cost around €22 to €25.
Máire Mulkerrin ( 099-73016; s/d €30/50) Now in her 80s and going strong, Mrs Mulkerrin is a local legend in her skirts and shawls. She keeps a cosy, spick-and-span home, filled with faded family photos, and her stove warms the kitchen all day.
Ard Alainn ( 099-73027; s/d with shared bathroom €30/50; May-Sep) Signposted just over 2km from the pier, thatched Ard Alainn is a vintage fantasy. The five rooms share a bathroom. Breakfasts by hostess Maura Faherty will keep you going all day.
Tig Congaile ( 099-73085; bbinismeain@eircom.net; Moore Village; r €45-80) Not far from the pier, Guatemalan-born Vilma Conneely serves guests freshly ground coffee from her native land, but it’s her use of local foods that really wins plaudits. Her sea-vegetable soup is famous and best enjoyed – if possible – at a table outside. The dining room is open to nonguests (lunch dishes from €5, dinner from €20; open 10.30am to 9pm). The seven rooms are spacious and have starkly iconic views.
An Dún ( 099-73047; www.inismeainaccommodation.com; r €45-100; ) Opposite the entrance to Dún Chonchúir, modern An Dún has a sauna and five comfortable rooms with private bathrooms. The restaurant is open to nonguests and serves lauded local cuisine such as pillowy potatoes (fertilised with seaweed), luscious smoked salmon, and seafood chowder (mains €8 to €25). Rooms are available year-round; the restaurant serves lunch and dinner in summer.
Teach Anna ( 099-73054; r €60-80) Run by islander Anna Byrne (whom you’ll also meet at the post office in a small shop, where she works by day), this cosy B&B is five minutes’ walk from the beach and has four rooms. Guests are welcome year-round and Anna cooks good-value evening meals.
Leonard Doyle ( 087 248 2673; r €60-90) An island transplant, Doyle rents out a postcard-perfect thatched cottage with views across much of the island to the east. Should you require spiritual intervention, the church and pub are short walks away. The owner was part of the crew who did initial surveys for the windmills that now make the Arans nearly carbon neutral.
Teach Ósta ( 099-73003; mains from €10; noon-late) The island’s perfect pub hums on summer evenings (grab a table outside for the views) and supplies snacks, sandwiches, soups and seafood platters. Though the pub often keeps going until the wee hours, food service generally stops around 7pm and may not be available in the winter months.
Shopping
The knitwear factory Cniotáil Inis Meáin ( 099-73009) exports fine woollen garments to some of the world’s most exclusive shops. You can buy the same sweaters here; call before visiting.
Getting Around
Walking is a fine way to explore the island’s sights. A van tour ( 099-73993) from the ferry or the airport will cost €15 for a relaxed one or two hours.
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INISHEER
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Inisheer (Inis Oírr), the smallest of the Aran Islands, has a palpable sense of enchantment, enhanced by the island’s deep-rooted mythology and ethereal landscapes.
The wheels of change turn very slowly here. Electricity wasn’t fully reliable until 1997. Given that there’s at best six inches of topsoil to eke out a living farming, the slow conversion of the economy to tourism has been welcome. Day trippers from Doolin, 8km across the water, enliven the paths all summer long.
Information
In July and August a small kiosk ( 10am-6pm Jul-Aug)