Oileáin Árann- The Aran Islands, County Galway

My first visit to the Aran Islands was as an eight-year-old aboard a trawler reeking of diesel which departed from Rosaveel for Kilronan. My dad hired a jarvey to take the trip up to Dun Aengus and my abiding memory was of endless stone-wall-enclosed fields bedecked with bright red fuchsia and isolated farmhouses on what felt like the edge of the world. Along the cliff edge at Dun Aengus, it seemed like we might even get a glimpse of what was on the other side.

Returning this summer, it’s amazing how little has changed. Kilronan is full of tourists re-aquainting themselves with how a bike works and there are some really nice places to eat, but once you leave the village you could be stepping back 50 years. The fields remain, the walls stretch to the horizon and Dun Aengus feels as remote and awe-inspiring as ever.