The Aran islands are a set of three small islands off of the western coast of Ireland near the city of Galway. I was only on the largest island (Inishmore) and it was amazing. The most striking feature of the island is the great number of stone walls which have been built over the years. There were stone walls like these in most places I visited in Ireland, but here their density was the greatest.

Here is an area of exposed rock. I read that the island was once entirely devoid of arable land, but over the years, farmers slowly built up the soil with manure and sod. Perhaps there are so many walls because in clearing the land, the people had to do something with the rocks!

Here is a view looking out over row and row of walls.

Okay, this wasn't taken on the Aran Islands, but I couldn't figure where else to put it. This was taken NW of Galway in the Connemara, near a cluster of mountain peaks called the Twelve Pins. You know, I couldn't go and make a Connemara page, cause this would be the only photo on it, and that sure wouldn't make sense.