Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
established a monastery here. Many great monks studied under Enda. Among these “Irish
apostles” who started Ireland's “Age of Saints and Scholars” (
A.D.
500-900) was Columba
(Colmcille in Irish), the founder of a monastery on the island of Iona in Scotland—home
of the Irish monks who produced the Book of Kells. Check out the ornate gravestones
(best detail on sunny days) of the “seven Romans,” located in the slightly elevated back
corner of the graveyard, farthest from the road. These pilgrims came here from Rome in
the ninth century, long after the fall of the Roman Empire.
Kilmurvey
The island's second village sits below Dún Aenghus. With a gaggle of homes, a B&B, a
great sheltered swimming beach, and a pub, this is the place for peaceful solitude. This
narrowest section of the island also has the best grazing land, a fact not lost on the local
landlord who claimed it for himself.
Ancient Sites near Killeany
The quiet eastern end of Inishmore offers ancient sites in evocative settings for overnight
visitors with more time, or for those seeking rocky hikes devoid of crowds. First, get a
good hiking map from the Kilronan TI. Then consider assembling a picnic, to fuel up
either before or after you spend a couple of hours exploring these sights on foot. Ask the
folks in town for directions (almost always a memorable experience in Ireland).
Closest to the road, amid the dunes one mile past the Tigh Fitz B&B and just south of
the airport, is the eighth-century
St. Enda's Church
(Teaghlach Einne). Protected from
wave erosion by a stubborn breakwater, it sits half-submerged in a sandy graveyard, sur-
rounded by a sea of sawgrass and peppered with tombstones. St. Enda is said to be buried
here, along with 125 other saints who flocked to Inishmore in the fifth century to learn
from him.
