Inis Mor (The largest Aran Island): 2 July 2008

The Aran Islands are one of the most picturesque places I have been to in my life. Every place we went was an opportunity for taking fantastic pictures. There are ruins of churches, farmhouses, barns and other random stone structures littered about the island like they were blown there by some Celtic wind from ages ago. Interestingly enough the island retains the feeling of old while all of the visitors bring with them so many modern contraptions to document the ancient scenes.

Ireland is home to more stone walls than people. Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, holds true to my theory. The number of walls is far larger than the number of people that live on the island. Walls are great to take pictures of from above because they look like gray caterpillars devouring the landscape, one square patch of green at a time. After all I have learned about the British oppression of the Irish I have come to believe that the British were unnecessarily cruel to their neighbors on the Emerald Isle. The many walls are the solid proof of the British crown’s oppression.

Laws were emplaced many years ago to stop the Irish from becoming financially stable by changing the laws involving inheritance. From the beginning the Irish used the practice of passing on all of the land from father to eldest son. This may seem unfair to the many other children in the typically large Irish families but in reality it was better off for all. With large plots of land it is much easier to grow enough crops and raise enough animals to survive and prosper. The British changed the law so that every piece of land had to be equally divided among all of the male heirs. The land eventually became so divided that it was impossible for anyone to be successful. All of the plots of land were too small to be productive. This was how the British kept the Irish poor and under control. The walls remind me of how the British controlled so much of Irish life.

The rock walls contrasted with the fort Dun Aonghusa. The ancient fort is a reminder that there is more to Ireland than the struggle for independence against the British. As the Irish continue to look for identity this Celtic remnant is a lasting testament to the rich history that must be understood and appreciated. Like the Irish people, it has weathered many storms and seen many battles, it has stood the test of time.