Inisheer
We take the ferry from Doolin to the tiny island of Inisheer. The island may be small, but the pure sense of the indomitable human spirit is huge and tangible. In order to plant the fields the early inhabitants of this island had to first clear them of rocks and stones and then bring sea kelp from the shore to nourish the paltry soil. As we gaze over the fields lined with stone walls (each so unique we are able to identify the family who built it) we are overcome with the sense of determination and will to survive that these people must have had. Inisheer has ruins, rituals, a buried church, a sacred well, and ancient stones to explore and wonder at. O'Briens Castle dominates the island and provides amazing views of the island and the sea. It is said the castle was built and maintained in order to protect the waterways into Galway Bay. Teampall Chaomhain is the 10th century Church of St Kevin which was covered over with sand and recently excavated. The old stone church and the windswept cemetary nearby offer inspiration to the artists in the area. The Plassey Shipwreck is is a lonesome monument to the strength of the seas as it leans to one side perched on the rocks. Everywhere we look there are testaments to the strength and determination of nature and man. The island can be explored in a day, but the quiet energy you take from it will last a lifetime.
