Select this option to sail from Doolin to Inis Mor ONE WAY - pick your date and time.
If you want to STAY OVER on the island, you can ADD A RETURN sailing to Doolin NEXT, on the day/time of your choice.
SAILING TIMES FROM DOOLIN
10:00 (direct)
11:00 (layover on Inis Oirr)
13:00 (layover on Inis Oirr)
14:45 (direct)
Island Guide
Inis Mór (translates as “Big Island”) – the largest of the three Aran Islands
Size: 14km by 3.8km
Population: 900 approx
Inis Mor is the most visited island, with up to 2,000 visitors each day during the busy summer season. The island is a lively place at night, with great Irish music and dance shows. Kilronan is the main village on the island, where the ferry boats pull in. It has several dining, shopping and accommodation options to choose from. It also has the only ATM on the islands (genuine off-shore banking!) Other villages include Killeany, south of Kilronan and Kilmurvey – close to Dun Aengus.
Transport Options
Inis Mor has the widest variety of transport options because of its size and popularity.
Mini-bus guided tour (eg Aran Bus Tour)
Pony and trap guided tour
Hire a bicycle
Walk
Sailing Season: Every day, mid March to end October
Doolin Pier, Co. Clare.
Kilronan Pier, Inis Mor.
The confirmation email on your mobile phone or a printout of your confirmation email
Change for Pay and Display Parking at Doolin pier:
€1 for 2 hours
€5 for 2- 30 hours
€15 for 30 hours - 1 week
Comfortable clothing and shoes
Raincoat (just in case!)
Check in at Garrihy's Doolin2Aran Ferries office on Doolin Pier. Look for the Crew in the blue shirts for assistance.
Eat & Stay
Inis Mor has numerous accomodation options:
Hotel
Guesthouses
Bed & Breakfasts
Hostels
Campsites
Historical Sites
Four Stone Forts – Dun Eochla, Dun Duchathair, Dun Eoganachta & Dun Aengus. Dun Aengus is the most famous of all the forts on the Aran Islands. This amazing fort sits perched on the highest cliffs of Inis Mor. The stone “Chevaux de Frise” at Dun Aengus is the most impressive example of it’s kind known to exist. Read our News and Offers for more on this impressive structure.
Churches – Na Seacht Teampaill (the Seven Churches) is near Dun Eoghanachta. This has ruins of churches which were built on the earlier site of a monastery dedicated to St. Breckan. Teampaill Bheanain (St. Benan’s Church) is close to Killeany and is supposedly the world’s smallest church.
Areas of Natural Beauty
The Worm Hole is a naturally formed rectangular pool close to the base of Dun Aengus.
Inis Mor’s Seal Colony is also worth a visit, close to the beautiful beach at Portmurvy.
“If Ireland is intriguing as being an island off the West of Europe, then Aran, as an island off the West of Ireland, is still more so; it is Ireland raised to the power of two.“
– Author Tim Robinson
General Information
The Aran Islands are located in Galway Bay and are part of County Galway. Only 6 miles separates Inis Oirr from Doolin, it is the closest mainland point to the islands. The sounds (or sea areas) between the islands are about 1.5 miles wide, and 10 – 12 miles separates Inis Mor from Connemara.
An Ghaeltacht
The islands are one of Ireland’s Gaeltacht areas, which means the people living there speak Irish as their first language. Most of the inhabitants can now switch to and fro between Irish and English, but some of the older residents can only speak as Gaelige (in Irish).
Ancient Pilgrims
Each of the three islands have extensive ancient and religious sites worth exploring, including a Bronze Age mound and a “sunken” church on Inis Oirr and reputedly the smallest church in the world on Inis Mor.
Between 800 AD and the early 12th century, there was a frenzy of pilgrim activity in Ireland. The Aran Islands very popular, due to the hardship required to get there in the first place – the pilgrims endured a suitable penance en route!
Literary Connections
The islands have been long held as a source of inspiration for poets, painters and writers. The landscape and unique culture has attracted many famous artists and authors over the years, including J M Synge, who wrote his play “The Playboy of the Western World” while he lived on Inis Meain.