Evening on Inis Oirr
22 September 2018
At the highest point of Inis Oirr is an old castle ruin. We hiked up the hillside and climbed a muddy pathway to the old walls. It was basically a square box, and while I’m not sure what it used to look like, the square walls were all that was left. We were able to step inside the walls and have a bit of a look around. There was a dark room off to the side, with a door made from iron bars that stood partly open, almost inviting us to the pitch dark inside. Absolutely no way, I’ve seen far too many horror movies to fall for that one! Step foot in there and the door will lock shut behind me, and I’m leprechaun food. Don’t think so folks.
As the castle sat atop the hill, it actually had the best view over the island. Looking out over the village, you could see to the other islands beyond, and even as far as the Twelve Bens mountain range in Connemara. We weren’t all the way up, there were tower ruins at the very top that probably would have given a great view down to MV Plassey, but we were content with the view over the village from where we stood. Once again, like every other square foot of this island, the stone walls made their patchwork patterns across the land. I really don’t think I would ever grow tired of that view. Maybe you think they are just walls... but not after you’ve seen them. They are more than just walls, they are the soul of the island.
There are only a couple of places on this little island even in the high tourist season, so in the off season like we were our options were going to be limited. Luckily, we found an open restaurant and pub at the Inis Oirr Hotel. It was obvious that it was one of the only places open as it seems everyone on the island was there! We settled in to our table with the obligatory pints of Guinness. Pubs in Ireland are the ultimate social spots, so before long we found ourselves chatting with the guy at the table next to us. He was also practicing his Irish Gaelic with the waitress. This western part of Ireland that we love is the epicenter of keeping this ancient language alive. It is really nice to sit back and listen to a culture being actively preserved.
Our dinner started with a specialty of western Ireland, the Seafood Stew. Similar in a way to New England style Clam Chowder, but made with more fish and a distinct flavor of its own, this is one of the food highlights we remember from our time in Ireland before. It is just so rich, creamy, and full of heavenly seafood flavors. Tonight was our first Seafood Stew since coming back, and I hardly think it would be our last.
We didn’t stay too late at the pub, which was still going strong by the time we left. The quiet night air greeted us outside, and the contrast from the crowded room to the silence of the island was striking. In the busy pub you could almost forget how small the island is, yet back outside the stillness of the night makes it impossible to ignore. We walked those wall-lined roads back to the B&B in almost full darkness. We could only imagine what the sky would have looked like had the grey Irish clouds parted for just a moment...
