Steve Connolly
Irish writer James Joyce described it as "the Holy island that sleeps like a great shark on the grey water of the Atlantic Ocean".
Fifteen kilometres long and just three kilometres wide, Inis Mor is the largest of the three Aran Islands just off Ireland's west coast.
It's made up mostly of barren limestone rock and small fields surrounded by stone walls.
Most tourists explore the islands on a bicycle or take a trip on a horse drawn buggy driven by one of the friendly locals, who converse with one another in Irish but readily switch to English.
The most popular destination is the Celtic bronze-age, cliff-top stone fort hillfort known as Dun Aonghasa.
Parking your bike at the visitors' centre, there's a 10 minute uphill walk to the gated fort entrance.
Just pray though that no one at that moment sends your mobile phone a text message. If you look down to read it you might drop 100m into the Atlantic as the cliff edge is just metres from the gate.
Similar to the famous Cliffs of Moher just a short flight away on the mainland, some visitors balance perilously on the cliff to take a look at the ocean below.
Unfortunately, some have gone too close and there have been about five deaths in recent years, including a German man who committed suicide last year.
Dun Aonghasa is the location of just one of many Celtic forts on the island, all reachable by bike or walking.
Although just a five-minute flight from the mainland, most people travel to the Aran Islands by ferry.
The 90-minute sea journey from Doolin can be an adventure in itself.
Our group got a bit nervous when we saw the small open vessels we had to board just to be taken to the ferry as it bobbed around in the bay.
The Atlantic Ocean and the coastal cliftops were shrouded in a heavy mist and the sea was a foaming swell.
Within minutes of setting out, the crew were rushing around handing out plastic bags to green-faced passengers sitting inside who were watching a DVD of the comedy classic Father Ted.
Those of us who stayed outside looked out to sea nervously as the waves rose above the ferry and the water occasionally washed over the rear deck.
But within half an hour the seas calmed slightly as we started getting shelter from the smallest of the three Aran Islands, Inis Oirr.
Some of our passengers were dropped off there and we then continued on to our destination, the port of Kilronan on Inis Mor.
Although it was a trial for some, the adventurous sea journey to Inis Mor added to the expectation of our Aran Islands visit.
Famous for its woollen sweaters, the Aran Islands don't have any sheep and mostly cattle graze in stone-surrounded fields.
Visitors to Inis Mor - and about 250,000 tourists travel to the Aran Islands each year - can stay in a number of hotels or hostel accommodation, mostly around Kilronan.
Businessman and former musician PJ O'Flaherty owns the Aran Islands Hotel - the largest hotel on the three islands.
The son of a fisherman, Mr O'Flaherty says tourism is the main source of income for the island and was a growing industry.
"If we didn't have the tourism it would be pretty drastic," said Mr O'Flaherty, who added that increases in ferry and air services to the island had boosted tourism.
Aran Islanders have a few difficulties compared to their mainland Irish cousins including paying about 40 cents a litre more for fuel.
But they have a proud heritage and Mr O'Flaherty is one local who hopes to build his business and stay on the island.
"I'm an Aran Islander," he boasts.
IF YOU GO:
Getting there: Ferries run from Doolin and Galway to the Aran Islands from April to October. Alternatively there's a short direct air service with Aer Arann Islands between Galway or Rossaveal on the mainland to Killeany airstrip. The return airfare is about 45 euro ($A60). There's limits though on luggage.
Gulf Air flights depart from Sydney to Dublin, via Bahrain, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening. Return economy fares are from $1815 between May 28 and August 15, $1650 between August 16 and September 19, $1540 between September 20 and October 3 and $1485 between October 4 and November 11. Additional taxes are about $315. Gulf Air also has discounted first and business class fares to Dublin for people aged 55 and over. For bookings: Phone Flight Centre on 131 600.
* The writer travelled from Australia to Ireland as a guest of Tourism Ireland, Gulf Air and Flight Centre.
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