AboutAran

30/10/2026

The Round Tower of Cill Éinne.

It was interesting to hear on Galway Bay FM recently about efforts to save the famous leaning round tower of Kilmacduagh near Gort Inse Guaire in South Galway.

Árainn’s monastic settlement in Cill Éinne once had a magnificent round tower but today all that’s left is a small stump.

In 1857 the famous Antiquarian George Petrie was part of a group of eminent scientists and antiquarians who visited the islands as part of a famous three day British Association excursion.

https://www.aboutaran.com/2020/02/dun-aengus-banquet-in-1857.html?m=1

Petrie showed the dignitaries around Cill Éinne and remarked that the ruin of the local round tower had been substantially higher when he visited previously in 1821.

Locals had claimed that at one stage it stood over 80ft high. It’s believed that the top part was plundered during the building of Arkin castle by Cromwellian forces in the 17th century.

Local lore has it that the tower was finally destroyed by lightening with some suggesting that the ferocious winds of Oiche na Gaoithe Móire in 1839, played a part in its final destruction. It’s likely that many stones from the tower and Arkin castle were incorporated in different local buildings down through the centuries.

While Árainn’s fine round tower is but a ruin, just a mere 54 kilometres away (as the crow flies) stands the magnificent leaning tower of Kilmacduagh. The tower is part of the monastic settlement built by the followers of a pupil of St Enda, Colman Mac Duagh.

While we tend to think of stone as impervious to all weathers etc, the tower at Kilmacduagh could well end up as tall as the one in Cill Éinne unless remedial work is carried out.

We were sent a photo of how dangerous the structure has become a while back by a visitor who is familiar with both locations and was worried that Kilmacduagh could collapse some stormy night.

Let’s hope the efforts to save St Colman’s Round Tower are successful, as rebuilding after a collapse could prove impossible.

26/10/2026

Liam O’Flaherty recipe for restoring the Irish language.

It’s hard not to suspect that Liam enjoyed making sure the newspaper reporter had the makings of a good headline.

We wonder who the little boy in Fearann an Choirce school was, who learned Irish under pain of injury in just three week, or if indeed he ever existed.

He also mentioned two other little children who came to Árainn from America and who learned Irish very quickly. This, because Liam believed, unlike many in Ireland, they hadn’t been born into a slave mentality.

Liam went on to praise the establishing of drama groups in Cill Rónáin and Cill Mhuirbhigh and said he felt liberated when writing in Irish but would have to translate to English also as he couldn’t afford not to.

www.AboutAran.com

20/10/2026

Pádraig Cole Nan Conneely R.I.P.

Word on Saturday of our old friend Padraig’s death brought great sadness to the island and beyond.

Pádraig was a wonderful ambassador for the islands when he worked for many years bringing visitors around in his pony and trap.

His passengers left with both a high opinion of the island, based and what they had seen and a high opinion of islanders, based on the their time spent with Pádraig.

A powerful athlete in his youth, Pádraig could turn his hand to almost anything and was a very skilled fisherman, farmer, tour guide and builder.

A man of easy temperament and good humour, Pádraig will be missed by his relations and friends and by the many who enjoyed touring with him every time they revisited the island.

As powerful as he was gentle, may he rest easy.
Codladh Sámh a Phádraig.

Death notice for the late Pádraig Cole Nan Ó Conghaile of Cill Éinne.

https://rip.ie/death-notice/padraig-conneely-galway-aran-islands-645512

07/10/2026

Ómós do na Flaitheartaigh
Amhránaithe ón oileán Treasa Ní Mhiolláin, Mícheál Ó Flaithearta
Gairdín Cuimhneacháin, Gort na gCapall
19 Meán Fómhair 2026

Island singers Treasa Ní Mhiolláin and Mícheál Ó Flaithearta honour the O'Flahertys,
Memorial Garden, Gort na gCapall
19 September 2026

It’s wonderful to see the great tradition of seanós singing, which Treasa has championed for so many years, being handed on to a younger generation.

Micheál Ó Flaithearta is the grandson of two very famous islanders, the late Marcus O’Flaherty and Maggie Daneen.
(Where would he leave it ?)

Ómós do na FlaitheartaighAmhránaithe ón oileán Treasa Ní Mhiolláin...

07/10/2026

At the great age of 94, longtime resident of Creig an Chéirín, Brendan Smyth, has died in Wexford.

Many islanders will have fond memories of Brendan and his late wife Imelda Hynes, who died in February 2025.

Brendan will be coming back to the island on Thursday October 8th to be laid to rest in Cill Mhuirbhigh with his beloved Imelda on Friday the 9th.

Codladh Sámh dóibh.

The death has occurred of Brendan Smyth of Aran Islands, Galway Ireland, on 06/10/2026. You can view the full death notice and add your condolences here.

24/09/2026

Islands Pilgrimage in 1958.

An ambitious plan in 1958 to ferry over three hundred pilgrims to Westport from the three Aran islands and Inishboffin, had to be abandoned when regulations interfered.

The islands PP, Thomas Varley hoped to use the newly arrived M.V. Naomh Éanna to sail from the islands to Westport, picking up over fifty at Inisboffin. It was then hoped the pilgrims would climb Croagh Patrick at night and return from Westport on Sunday afternoon.

The fare of thirty shillings had been collected before Fr Varley was informed that the boat was only licensed to carry 190 on a journey like this. There were also weather forecast regulations which made the whole plan too risky. The money paid was refunded.

In July 1939 three islanders were lost while rowing home from Connemara having completed the journey to Mayo. Their bodies were never found.

As it turned out, there were no weather problems in 1958 with newspapers reporting that the 60k pilgrims enjoyed the best weather for many years, as they made their way to the top. The sermon in Irish that year was preached by the late Fr Paddy Gill from Louisburg who only died in 2024 at the great age of 98. Fr Gill was teaching at St Jarlath’s at the time.

19/09/2026

11/09/2026

Showing off.

There’s always one seagull trying to outdo the flock by showing the great balance he/she has, by standing on the mast of a moving boat.

Taken at the mouth of Cuan Chasla in early morning as the Bailey family trawler Naomh Cáilean returns from fishing in June 2011.

09/09/2026

Eighty five years ago today.

On September 9th 1941 two Aran fishermen came across the body of an R.A.F airman, Alfred Tizzard, who had been lost with his flying boat the previous April.

With the help of some neighbours, Brian Peter Stephen Hernon and Beachla Bhabba Hernon of Cill Muirbhigh gave Alfred a Christian burial.

We wrote about this story many years ago with some background on the people involved.

The Lonely grave of Alfred Tizzard. Grave of Fl Sergent Alfred Tizzard from Littlehampton, Sussex with the great cliff...