Page 28 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter/Spring 2023
P. 28
SPECIAL FEATURE
WALK ON THE
Wild Side
MEMORABLE HIKES ON THE WEST COAST OF IRELAND
BY SEAN MALLEN
W e could tell that Cyril Ó Flaithearta was a native Aran Islander by the way he
briskly and nonchalantly strode across fields of cracked limestone. Hands behind his
back, barely looking down to check his footing, he kept up a pace that I and my fit teenage daughter struggled to match, all while he regaled us with tales of this storied and magical place.
BUYING LOCAL
The islands’ most famous product is the Aran sweater, created to keep fishermen warm while on the open sea. They are widely available in shops on the islands and the mainland, mostly factory-made. You can find the hand-knit versions, made by locals, at the An Túirne shop on Inishmore. More expensive, but worth it.
