Tobar Lig Bhuí

Explorer Tom South Island Lighthouse nearly got famous once when a whale swam too close to the precinct wall and everyone thought it was a new type of boat. The fine limestone construction and detailing to the door surrounds are impressive, but I think the whale had better publicity than the lighthouse keeper ever did.

Explorer Tom Inis Oírr lighthouse came about because the first Aran Islands light had been placed where sailors could not see it at the dangerous ends. That is the sort of planning mistake I make with a garden lamp, not a shipping route. In 1857, this light began marking Galway Bay's South Sound while Eeragh covered the northern approach. A red sector warns of Finnis Rock. The tower is an active aid to navigation, so check island travel and visitor access, and respect working lighthouse boundaries. Walk a permitted route towards a good shore view rather than assuming the door will open for you. Look across the water towards the hidden hazard. A small flash of red has a much clearer message than anything I could shout from the quay.

Explorer Tom Creggankeel Fort on Inis Oírr was nearly sold for a horse in a very bad bet. The wall is two and a half meters high, which is impressive if you’re a gnome. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom I would bring a calendar to Inis Oírr, then promptly lose track of the centuries. Inis Oírr may be the smallest Aran Island, but it has a talent for refusing to stay neatly in one century. The floor of the tenth century Teampall Chaomháin lies below the sand and has to be uncovered again and again. The O'Brien rulers once received twelve tuns of wine a year for guarding Galway Bay. I would have asked for the receipt before agreeing to that arrangement. I would ask the shipwreck to move for the view, but it has made its point. On a very different night in 1960, islanders rescued the entire crew of the grounded MV Plassy. Atlantic waves later shoved the vessel above the high tide line, where the wreck became a landmark; the rescue deserves to be remembered with it. Look beyond the boat to the limestone pavement, castle remains and working island community. You arrive by sea and walk among people's homes as well as old sites, so give both the paths and the residents respect. There is no room for a hurried mainland timetable here.

Explorer Tom You know that rusty ship from Father Ted? It had a whole working life before television borrowed its good side. MV Plassy began as HMS Juliet, a minesweeper launched in 1940, served during the war, and later carried cargo round Ireland. On 8 March 1960 a storm drove her onto Finnis Rock off Inis Oírr. The cargo included whiskey, stained glass and yarn, a shopping list I would never trust myself to carry across a calm harbour. Islanders in the Inisheer Rocket Crew brought every crew member off by breeches buoy. Give them the credit before you ask where the cameras stood. Another storm pushed the wreck onto the shore, and later weather shifted it again. You can view the hulk from the island, but rusted metal is no climbing frame; keep a respectful distance and follow local paths. I may borrow Father Ted's accent on the walk back, but the rescue is the part worth repeating properly.

Explorer Tom Furmina Castle in Inis Oírr is a hall-house that's seen better centuries. It's basically a giant box where people used to argue about land rights. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice listening to complaints.

Explorer Tom O'Brien's Castle stands high on Inisheer as if the island asked for a lookout and received a family argument as well. A ringfort called Dún Formna was here long before the tower house went up around 1400. The O'Flahertys took the castle around 1582, and soldiers damaged it in 1652. Inside the plan, three vaulted basement chambers once held supplies, with the main hall above. Look for a human face carved on a projecting support; I would ask it what it saw, but stone witnesses are stubborn. The ruin is a protected monument reached on foot from the island's public routes. Check local access advice, mind broken ground and leave every loose stone where it sits. Climb the surrounding high ground rather than the masonry for a view. The castle has done enough standing for the rest of us.

Explorer Tom Cnoc Raithní saw the whole parish argue about where to put the picnic blanket last summer, and it just sat there smirking. It’s been here since the Bronze Age and still hasn’t learned patience. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.

Explorer Tom Lár na Trá has a local superstition that says if you blink three times, the tide will take your left shoe as payment. I tested it myself and lost a sock, so I’m pretty sure they’re onto something solid here. Stand still and listen, the wind tells it better than me.