AboutAran

15/10/2026

Should be a great Saturday night on Forster Street.

We can't wait to play An Púcán in Galway this Saturday night, 17th October at 10pm! 🤘🥳

07/10/2026

Ómós do na Flaitheartaigh
Amhránaithe ón oileán Treasa Ní Mhiolláin, Mícheál Ó Flaithearta
Gairdín Cuimhneacháin, Gort na gCapall
19 Meán Fómhair 2026

Island singers Treasa Ní Mhiolláin and Mícheál Ó Flaithearta honour the O'Flahertys,
Memorial Garden, Gort na gCapall
19 September 2026

It’s wonderful to see the great tradition of seanós singing, which Treasa has championed for so many years, being handed on to a younger generation.

Micheál Ó Flaithearta is the grandson of two very famous islanders, the late Marcus O’Flaherty and Maggie Daneen.
(Where would he leave it ?)

Ómós do na FlaitheartaighAmhránaithe ón oileán Treasa Ní Mhiolláin...

07/10/2026

At the great age of 94, longtime resident of Creig an Chéirín, Brendan Smyth, has died in Wexford.

Many islanders will have fond memories of Brendan and his late wife Imelda Hynes, who died in February 2025.

Brendan will be coming back to the island on Thursday October 8th to be laid to rest in Cill Mhuirbhigh with his beloved Imelda on Friday the 9th.

Codladh Sámh dóibh.

The death has occurred of Brendan Smyth of Aran Islands, Galway Ireland, on 06/10/2026. You can view the full death notice and add your condolences here.

24/09/2026

Islands Pilgrimage in 1958.

An ambitious plan in 1958 to ferry over three hundred pilgrims to Westport from the three Aran islands and Inishboffin, had to be abandoned when regulations interfered.

The islands PP, Thomas Varley hoped to use the newly arrived M.V. Naomh Éanna to sail from the islands to Westport, picking up over fifty at Inisboffin. It was then hoped the pilgrims would climb Croagh Patrick at night and return from Westport on Sunday afternoon.

The fare of thirty shillings had been collected before Fr Varley was informed that the boat was only licensed to carry 190 on a journey like this. There were also weather forecast regulations which made the whole plan too risky. The money paid was refunded.

In July 1939 three islanders were lost while rowing home from Connemara having completed the journey to Mayo. Their bodies were never found.

As it turned out, there were no weather problems in 1958 with newspapers reporting that the 60k pilgrims enjoyed the best weather for many years, as they made their way to the top. The sermon in Irish that year was preached by the late Fr Paddy Gill from Louisburg who only died in 2024 at the great age of 98. Fr Gill was teaching at St Jarlath’s at the time.

19/09/2026

11/09/2026

Showing off.

There’s always one seagull trying to outdo the flock by showing the great balance he/she has, by standing on the mast of a moving boat.

Taken at the mouth of Cuan Chasla in early morning as the Bailey family trawler Naomh Cáilean returns from fishing in June 2011.

09/09/2026

Eighty five years ago today.

On September 9th 1941 two Aran fishermen came across the body of an R.A.F airman, Alfred Tizzard, who had been lost with his flying boat the previous April.

With the help of some neighbours, Brian Peter Stephen Hernon and Beachla Bhabba Hernon of Cill Muirbhigh gave Alfred a Christian burial.

We wrote about this story many years ago with some background on the people involved.

The Lonely grave of Alfred Tizzard. Grave of Fl Sergent Alfred Tizzard from Littlehampton, Sussex with the great cliff...

08/09/2026

Codladh Sámh Beachla.

The death has occurred of Beachla Bán Ó Conghaile of Aran Islands, Galway Ireland, on 07/09/2026. You can view the full death notice and add your condolences here.

07/09/2026

Artaud in Ireland exhibition.

The French artist Antonin Artaud spent some time on Árainn in 1937. He was unwell at the time and his stay in Eoghanacht led to a diplomatic incident when he left without paying his host, Seán Millane. (It’s a long story.)

Up until very recently, there were still a number of islanders who remembered his visit.

An exhibition themed around Antonin runs from the 11th to the 26th of September at Gallery X located at 11 Hume street in Dublin. The curator is Paul Smith who has done great research on Artaud’s time in Ireland and indeed Árainn.

It will feature works by two artists well known to Aran islanders. One is the late writer, artist and mapper, Tim Robinson and the other is the gifted Jackie Roantree who spent many years living on the island where she and her late husband Seán, reared their family.

Entry is free.

On the evening before the opening, Ranelagh Arts will be hosting an Artaud themed event at 6pm at their premises in Ranelagh. Their arts centre is located on Ranelagh Road/Village opposite the LUAS station. We are told this event involves a pied piper and possibly a trip on the LUAS to Gallery X on Hume Street.

This event is free also and all are welcome

GalleryX & Ranelagh Arts are delighted to host the 2nd Artaud in Ireland exhibition - a psychogeographical anniversary reading marking Artaud’s 1937 life impactive sojourn to this island.