Speaking Irish on Inishmore (Aran Islands)

The post to follow is part of a series of posts of my honest opinion of my time on Inishmore, however it should be noted that some of the expenses of this trip were waived or paid for by the Aran Island Hotel and the tourism board for the Aran Islands.  Don’t hate me for taking free stuff and I promise, if I didn’t love the island, I wouldn’t write nice things about it.

For St. Patrick’s Day this year, I was asked to write an article for BootsnAll on how the Irish language is still alive and flourishing.  I begin by mentioning that when I first came to Ireland over 2 years ago, I did not know that there was such a thing as the “Irish” language.  Rather, upon initial descent into Ireland, I thought that Irish was just a sort of thick accent with its own lingo and dialect (like Ebonics or Jamaican).  After spending a couple of months in Galway (in Irish Galliamh pronounced GAHL-yiev), I’ve been able to spend some time really diving into the culture and history of the language as well as learn a bit myself. 

If you want the full history and lesson of Irish, read my article here on BootsnAll.  For those with limited attention spans, Irish (in Irish Gaeilge pronounced GAYLE-guh), has been spoken on the Emerald Isle since 1200 BC. During British rule in Ireland, most spoken Irish was banned or pushed to the far west of the island (hence why the highest concentration of Irish speakers is in the West).  After the Republic of Ireland gained its independence in 1922, the language was slowly reintegrated into the everyday life of those living in the country.  Most street signs and road signs are in both English and Gaeilge; sometimes only Gaeilge in areas known as the Gaeltacht (Gahl-TAHCHT) which are those areas where Gaeilge is still the primary language.  Children are now required to learn Irish in school and some schools are taught exclusively in Irish. Needless to say, the Irish language is beginning to become a larger part of everyday life for those living there.  One of the best places in the world to hear spoken Irish is on the Aran Islands.

The Aran islands are a string of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay in County Galway in western Ireland.  The three islands have gone through an extensive history of renaming and ownership and so some people call them different things (I’ve seen Inishmore spelled Árainn, Inis Mór and Inishmore), but the accepted names for these islands are Inishmore (pronounced in-nish-MORE), Inishmaan (pronounced in-nish-MAHN) and Inisheer (pronounced in-nish-SHEER).  The islands are all VERY small (the largest being just 12 square miles) and the in total only claims 400 permanent residents. 

To get to the islands requires planning.  There are a limited number of beds on the island (only 200, last I heard) with one hotel, one hostel and only a handful of bed and breakfasts.  There are only two ways to get there; either fly (via Aer Arann Islands from Connemara Regional Airport west of Galway City to the airport on Inishmore) or take one of the daily ferries that leave from Ros a’ Mhíl or Doolin and go to the islands (you can buy a shuttle through the same company to Ros a’ Mhíl from Galway City). 

Once there, it is not difficult to hear by Keith Williamson Irish being spoken.  For the easy route, turn on the television in your room.  The main television station broadcast on the islands is in Irish, and trust me, you’ll know it when you hear it. When I arrived on Inishmore, it was lunch time and as such, I headed straight for the pub.  I casually listened as the dozen or so old men around me chatted gleefully in what I will call Engrish (a mix of English and Irish) but most of what they said was in Irish.  The men sat and talked about man things, I presume as an Irish football (and no, that is NOT the same thing as soccer) game played (in Irish) on the television behind them.  The bar I was at was called the American Bar so the walls were littered with posters of JFK, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Marilyn and a wall collaged with police patches from various US cities (which I’ve found is quite a common decoration for “American” bars in Ireland).  But this place was far from American. 

As I sat there listening to the men chat, I couldn’t help but wonder why I never knew that this language exists.  As Americans, we’re pretty obsessed with all things Irish; whether it be the men, the accent, the heavy drinking culture.  We love to associate ourselves with Ireland and most of us find any excuse to say we’re Irish (my sister has reddish hair, so that MUST mean there’s Irish in my blood somewhere, right?). So how does it slip through the cracks that Irish is still a big part of the culture in Ireland?

A bit of Irish to help you feel important around your friends:

Hello – Dia duit (pronounced DI-ah GWIT)
Goodbye - Slán (pronounced SLAHN)
Cheers – Sláinte (pronounced SLAYNT-chee)
Thank You – Go Raibh Maith Agat (pronounced GUH REV MAH ah-GUT)
Fun (used a lot by Engrish speakers, like “what’s up” and may or not be actual Irish, but it’s still good to know) – What’s the craic? (Pronounced CRACK)

For more on the Irish language, check these sites:
Irish Language on Wikipedia
A good beginner's guide to the Irish Language
Beginner's Irish Phrases and Pronounciation

For more on the Aran Islands, check these sites:
The Aran Island Hotel
Aran Islands on Wikipedia
Aran Islands Travel Guide
Aran Islands on Wikitravel
Aran Islands on Google Maps

Castle Hopping and Cliff Diving in County Clare

I was fortunate enough to be invited along on a driving tour of some of Western Ireland’s most treasured scenery the other day with Mr. G and his cousin Orlaigh – who happens to be the daughter of one of the only “Burrenologists” and brought with her a book written by her dad with enough information to fill a couple brains.  Naturally, she ordained me a burrenologist myself (along with her her father and one other, we’re the only ones in the world).  So I feel like I can speak to the area.

There’s a place just south of Galway City where you are transferred to a place that seems completely out of it’s element of both time and location.  I’m talking about The Burren (pronounced BURN) which is a national park contained within County Clare in Western Ireland. The Burren is only an hour or so drive from Galway city and is a fantastic day trip recommended for anyone.  The scenery is out of this world.  Giant rocky cliffs covered in green peat moss. The road is incredibly windy (and not recommended for anyone who just started driving, either on the left side of the road or a manual transmission) and the hills don’t make the driving situation any easier. 

Along the way are several castles.  The first of which is the Dunguaire Castle located just outside of Kinvara.  This castle dates back to the 16th century and was home to some ancient kings (don’t ask me who).   The island the little castle resides on is a tidal island and the castle is completely surrounded by water at high tide. Tides here in Western Ireland are more fluctuating than any other I’ve experienced.  At low tide, I live on the beach. At high tide, I live next to a rock wall that holds the ocean out of my house.  It’s crazy.  Anyway, this castle is a must see stop and is absolutely beautiful.  In the summer time you can walk inside, but during the winter, the gates will be locked, so don’t try.

Another great castle is Leamaneh Castle.  This castle has a really interesting history being inhabited by the same woman, Mary O'Brien, through several successions of husbands.  Mary’s first husband was killed in a battle against the English.  Knowing that her beloved home would soon be acquired by the British army, she offered to marry any Cromwellian officer who would have her as long as she could remain in the castle – thus retaining her estate, and living the rest of her life in her home.   This castle isn’t the most beautiful to look at, but it is a nice site and a good break in the windy drive.

If you happen to be near Ballyvaughan, another great site to see is the Corcomroe Abbey.  This old church dates back to the early 13th century and is a must see on a nice day.   The Abbey is home to beautiful carvings, a crowded cemetery, lots of very old tombs and an effigy.  There are even eagles that nest in the old tower so keep your eyes to the sky when you first walk in.

If you are inclined at this point, you are only about a half hour from the Cliffs of Moher (pronounced MORE) which, in my opinion, are a must see for any tourist who is in Western Ireland for more than a couple of days (sometimes even then).  The cliffs are located near the town of Doolin and can be accessed from the north or south.  You will have to pay €8 to park or you can take part in a charter tour (of which several run from either Galway City or Cork City).  Some people don’t think too much of the cliffs, but I was absolutely blown away.  Possibly because I had no pre-conceived idea of what they would look like.  These cliffs TOWER over all that is below.  Seagulls look like houseflies near the ocean which crashes into the side of the mountains in itty-bitty-tiny 20 foot waves. 

On a sunny day from the tops of the cliffs (which I was lucky enough to experience), you can see all three Aran Islands (Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer), Galway City, Connemara, the cliffs and the vastness that is the Atlantic ocean.  There is also a cute watchtower (O’Brien’s Tower) at the top of the hike where you can walk in and up for an even more stunning view of the panorama.  The cliffs are equipped with an informative and new visitors center which is built cleverly (or annoyingly, as some locals will tell you) in the side of one of the cliffs.  Oh and don't actually cliff dive off these.  There is nothing but rocks at the bottom and the anti-suicide lines right before the gates will remind you that it's not a joke. 

The details:

The Burren
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Burren
Open year round, best seen in the daytime, castle opening times vary, check individual sites for more information.

The Cliffs of Moher
http://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/
Opening hours: 9-dusk (varies, check the website)
O’Brien’s Tower has shorter visiting hours so check the website
Contact Number: +353 (0)65 7086141
E-mail: info@cliffsofmoher.ie