Although studying abroad in the city of Dublin is electric and full of fast-paced fun, a weekend escape to the west of Ireland can provide a much-needed change of pace. Feeling a gust of wind on your face while gazing upon the rocky shoreline, spotted with noisy donkeys, is also a vital aspect of visiting Ireland. This is why the CEA CAPA program excursions have been essential to my study abroad experience. 

I was grateful to leave the bustling city for a weekend trip with CEA CAPA to Inis Mór, the largest of the Aran Islands. This overnight trip was one I had been looking forward to since choosing Ireland as my study abroad location. My Irish film professor, Luke Gibbons, prepared us for the immensely beautiful scenery of the west coast. “The Aran Islands are often what National Geographic chooses to capture when photographing Ireland,” he said. Fittingly, as a fan of the magazine, this was exactly what I had imagined Ireland would look like. 

My flatmates and I on the ferry to Inis Mor.

Further describing the Aran Islands as what was left of “real Ireland,” he prefaced our lecture with William Butler Yeats’s well-known poem, The Lake Isle of Innisfree. Visiting the tiny, barely populated areas of Ireland gave me a newfound appreciation for these spaces, which are now increasingly overrun with tourists. 

The Lake Isle of Innisfree 

BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS 

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, 

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made; 

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee, 

And live alone in the bee-loud glade. 

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, 

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings; 

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, 

And evening full of the linnet’s wings. 

I will arise and go now, for always night and day 

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; 

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey, 

I hear it in the deep heart’s core. 

The journey began with a meticulous schedule of walking, followed by a bus ride, a ferry, and then more walking, with a few tourist stops along the way. Since the CEA CAPA Dublin program is relatively small, our group could all squeeze onto one bus, making for some serious bonding time. I can’t count the number of “would you rather” questions I asked my roommate on the bus. 

Not only was our group fun for student interaction, but our advisors joined in on the craic (Irish term for a good time) during excursions. Annie and Margot, two of our Dublin advisors, came along for the West of Ireland trip and added extra banter to the weekend. Annie showed us the best Guinness and chocolate stout cake from a tiny café and helped us find our way to the farmers' market in Galway. 

Made a new friend–one of the many horses of the island. 

Our first stop was the Cliffs of Moher, where we were left windswept and in awe. Though ears and noses ached from the chill and hair flew in every direction, no one could look away from the steep drop-offs and waves crashing into the perfectly rectangular caves. Some visitors were lucky enough to catch a proposal, while others shook their heads at influencers disobeying the fence for a risky photo of the cliffs. 

Back on the bus, we made our way to the ferry stop. Fish slipped from the hands of a fisherman traveling up the docks, and backpackers bundled in gear like turtle shells shuffled onto the boat. This ferry ride is not for the faint of heart and may require a motion sickness pill to prepare for the rocky journey. 

Luckily, the sun set beautifully over Galway as we sailed to Inis Mór. The rocking of the boat was tolerable by sitting outside. We arrived at a port that fit just two small ferries, with about twenty small cottages lining the shore. The best part of the Aran Islands is how the world’s modern sounds seem to stop, leaving only the natural ones. 

The scenic and quiet state of the port at Inis Mor.  

After settling into our hostel, we joined our program at the quaint Joe Watty’s pub for dinner. I wondered if half the island’s population had joined us at the pub that Saturday night, enjoying the fresh catch of the day and traditional music. 

Charades, baskets of chips, and even dancing with an extroverted Scottish man ended our first night. A pub like Joe Watty’s offers many chances to practice the art of conversation, where talking to strangers is a must, and friendly debates are encouraged. The part of the pub visit that stays with you isn’t the drinking but the time spent truly getting to know your friends and hearing about the lives of locals. 

Trying to keep up with my roommate Emmeline on our bike tour 

The next morning, like a herd of elephants, we followed one another up and down the hills of the island on bikes. We stared in awe at the fort of Dún Aonghasa, pondered the formation of the wormhole pool, and wished the clear blue waters of the calm beaches were warm enough to swim in. 

After a few hours of biking in the cold, we took refuge in a small café run by a single family. I had a slice of the best chocolate Guinness cake I’ve ever tasted in my life and a cappuccino to warm me up. Just because a destination doesn’t include lying on a beach or staying at an all-inclusive resort doesn’t mean it can’t offer rest and relaxation. 

An unforgettable chocolate Guinness cake and cappuccino at a family restaurant.