Ireland – Day 3 – Travels with Carolyne

Inis Mor/Galway – Day 3 of a 9-Day Trip in Ireland

Day 3 was mainly a day trip to the largest of the three Aran Islands – Inis Mor. The views of Inis Mor are familiar as parts of the film “Banshees of Inisherin” were filmed on Inis Mor. The island has just over 800 inhabitants and the primary language is Irish (also called Gaelic). The other two islands in the area are Inis Meain and Inis Oirr. Between April and September, there is a direct ferry between Galway and Inis Mor. This ferry is ran by the Aran Island Ferry company. During the off seasons, visitors will need to detour to Rossaveel to take the ferry to Inis Mor. There are buses that go to and from Rossaveel, which is also ran by Aran Island Ferry. Visitors can also visit Inis Meain and Inis Oirr using the same ferry company.

Day 3
Inis Mor/Galway

I had a quick home breakfast before heading out to catch the 9:30am ferry from the Galway port to Inis Mor. Make sure to book your ferry ticket ahead of time as I’m not sure if they sell out. There is only one ferry between Galway and Inis Mor, but multiple times between Rossaveel and Inis Mor. I booked the round trip ferry between Galway and Inis Mor, which includes a cruise past the Cliffs of Moher on the return trip. The ferry arrives at Kilronan (the main settlement on the island) Pier in Inis Mor.

From the pier, there are two options to explore the island – bike rental or a van tour. There are multiple van tour options and the vans are parked on the road ready to accept guests. Join whichever tour you would like! I joined a van tour due to the time constraint (had to be back by 3:30pm for the return ferry). The tour was 20 euros per person and included stops at Dun Aonghasa, the Seven Churches, and the Seal Colony. The tours guides are well aware of the ferry times and will organize their tour so that visitors will be back in time for the ferry. First stop was Dun Aonghasa, a fort at the top of a hill which is believed to have been originally built in the 2nd century. It sits on the edge of a cliff with a 100m drop and great ocean views. On the way to the fort, we passed by many homes, farms, and stone walls. Fun fact – it is estimated that there are 1500 miles of stone walls on the island of Inis Mor. Our tour guide dropped us off near the base of Dun Aonghasa, where there are cafes and stores. From there it is about a 20 minute hike up the hill to Dun Aonghasa. The admission fee to Dun Aonghasa is 3 euros/person and very worth it! At the top, there is no barrier at the cliff edge, so be careful!

After taking in the views, I headed back down and had lunch at Teach Nan Phaidi. The cafe is in a traditional cottage, which is adorable. I ordered the smoked salmon salad, which came with brown bread and a salad. The smoked salmon tasted very fresh and was delicious.

Next stop on the van tour – the Seven Churches. Although the name is Seven Churches, there is only 2 churches. They’re more just ruins of what once were Christian churches. There are graves scattered around the property.

Our final stop of the day was the Seal Colony. I could not really tell if there were any seals there. If they were, they blended into the rocks.

After the Seal Colony, we headed back to Kilronan. I had about an hour before ferry boarding, so I stopped at a bar for my first Guinness of the trip! If you have never had a Guinness before, it is a must in Ireland. The Irish stout is rich and heavy, but tasty!

Afterwards, I boarded the ferry where I enjoyed a lovely cruise past the other Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher. It took about 30 minutes to get to the Cliffs of Moher from Inis Mor.

It was around dinner by the time the ferry returned to Galway. I had fish and chips (and raw oysters) at McDonagh’s. Great way to end the day!

Complete Day 3 Itinerary

*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.

8:00am: Have breakfast at the Airbnb.

9:00am: Take the ferry to Inis Mor (1.5 hour ferry from Galway).

11:00am: Join a van tour to explore Inis Mor. Hike up Dun Aonghasa, visit the Seven Churches, and enjoy the views of Inis Mor. Have a Guinness if time permits.

3:00pm: Take the ferry back to Galway and detour to the Cliffs of Moher (2.5 hour ferry from Inis Mor).

7:00pm: Have dinner at McDonagh’s (5 minute walk from Galway Ferry Terminal). Have a drink at a nearby pub!