Laurie Heath Studio: Wonderfully Made

I don't remember how long ago I first heard about the Aran Islands, but they've always been part of my Irish imagination. Most of their residents speak Irish first and English as a courtesy to visitors. We spent a super-sunny day taking a ferry out to visit Inisheer (Inis Oirr), the smallest and nearest of the three islands. Rich blue water, rocky terrain and bright blue skies made Inisheer feel almost Mediterranean.


At the ferry dock, visitors are given four transportation choices for exploring the island: minibus, pony cart, bicycle, or foot. Guess which one we chose!

Just a few of the sights that greeted us as we clip-clopped along the main road:

Inisheer and the other islands offer glimpses of a more traditional Ireland, including plenty of houses with thatched roofs ... and others that lost their roofs some time ago.

Since there are no trees on Inisheer, building materials consist mainly of rock, stone, and more rock.

It seems as if every place we visited in Ireland had its own collection of flowers, usually allowed to grow gloriously untamed.

We noticed something unusual about a few of Inisheer's horses. Do you see it? Our ponycart driver Martin didn't have much of an explanation about it or seem to think it was particularly unusual, but I've never seen a horse with a mustache before.

Doesn't Curtis look like he should be in an ad for Coca-Cola? Or maybe Irish Spring? "Manly, yes, but I like it too!"

So let's talk about these rock walls. They are everywhere, almost maze-like, stacked without mortar so they can be moved and reassembled as needed. Martin said that the islanders gather the stones so they can use the fields. Building walls to divide the land into these small plots is more practical than piling all of the stones in one central location, Martin said. "That way they're handy when they're needed."

Livestock find plenty to eat by periodically being moved from one walled area to the next.

Most of the walls have a loose look to them, with gaps plenty big enough to see daylight through. A few look as if the stone had been sawed into equal lengths in order to be arranged more tightly. I'm sure there's a good reason for both.

We loved our ponycart ride, even though our poor pony was a bit overtaxed by having to lug a total of 7 full-grown people up and down the hilly roads of Inisheer. When we got to this spot, I thought Martin was asking whether we'd like for him to take us up to the ruins of O'Brien's Castle. I enthusiastically said yes and prepared myself for the ride uphill. Everyone else just looked at me with a touch of disgust and began climbing out of the cart. Oooooooooohhhhhh. Martin had asked if we wanted him to drop us off at this point in order to climb up to the castle. Does it look like it would be a challenging hike? It was. But that's what we were there for, right?

The castle was built in the 15th century and is surrounded by an ancient ring fort. As had become her custom, Maggie promptly found a way to climb up to the highest point. This alarmed a nice lady tourist, who insisted on steadying Maggie's feet as she climbed down.

For centuries Christian pilgrims have made their way to the Aran Islands. At one point this was a hotbed of monastic activity, although only ruins still stand today.

After our exhausting bit of climbing, we needed rest and refreshment. Where else to head but the local pub?

All sorts of boats come in and out of Inisheer's little port, and the town seems to wake up when new boats come in then take a nap in between. Our ferry was the one in the top photo.

Goodbye, Inisheer, land of stone wall labyrinths, horses with mustaches, and blue, blue skies! May you continue to stand strong in the midst of battering waves and brutal winds.

Going over the deep place,

O God of patience, take them by the hand

in case of a blow from a strong wave.

O Mary, look out for them

and don't leave them.

Irish blessing for going to sea