Inisheer is a magical spot, the smallest of the Aran islands. It’s full of its own history: a bronze age burial site, a 10th-century church, a shipwrecked freighter stranded on rocks. The chances are you already know it – the island features in the opening sequence of Father Ted. It’s a tiny place. You can hire bikes, then spin around the stone-walled lanes and stop for a picnic under a vast sky. Wild flowers flourish, seals sunbathe, birds pass through – all heaven for photographers, who love the light. Enda, once a lighthouse keeper, was born on the island and has lived here much of his life. He and Maria run a small restaurant, then a clutch of good rooms up the lane; views to the front shoot out to sea. The feel is home-spun, just as it should be, spotless and comfy, not too posh. Whitewashed rooms come with good beds, wicker chairs, underfloor heating and showers that blast you clean. Up at the restaurant Enda’s home cooking hits the spot, perhaps potato and chive soup, Aran fish pie, then chocolate and almond cake. There are books everywhere, though the best stories come from your hosts.
South Aran House is lovely, and Maria and Enda are host & hostess extraordinaire. They made our trip to Inisheer one of our favorite memories of our trip to Ireland. The meals at their restaurant were some of the best we had in our 5 weeks in Ireland and the UK. If you ever find yourself in Inisheer, it would be a mistake not to seek them out.