Arcadia Ireland

Last weekend marked the first of the Fall Co-Curricular Excursions, with a trip to the Aran Islands! Students from NUI Galway were joined by students from University College Cork who enjoyed a full weekend in gorgeous Galway.

It was lashing raining in Galway that morning, but like magic as soon as we stepped onto Inis Mór (Big Island) the weather cleared and the sun came out! Once on dry land, we picked up our maps, bikes and helmets (very important!) and set out to explore. For those that don’t cycle, the island is very small and pedestrian friendly so walking is a great option, as is hopping on a passing jaunting cart.

The main site to see on Inis Mór is Dun Aengus; a semi-circular fort resting on a cliff edge, offering stark and stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. The seal colony is also well worth a stop, as is Poll na bPeist  (The Worm Hole) a natural rectangular shaped sea pool. Inis Mór is of course a great place to buy local made Aran knitwear, and the students were able to pick up a few nice gifts and souvenirs.

In the end we spent about five hours on the island, plenty of time to cycle up an appetite for some of the best seafood chowder Ireland has to offer. Can't wait to go back!