Inishmaan ( ; ga, Inis Meáin , the official name, formerly spelled , meaning "middle island") is the middle of the three main

Aran Islands The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran ...

Galway Bay Galway Bay ( Irish: ''Loch Lurgain'' or ''Cuan na Gaillimhe'') is a bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south; Gal ...

, off the west coast of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It is part of

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

in the province of Connacht. Inishmaan has a population of about 183 (census 2016), making it the smallest of the Aran Islands in terms of population. It is one of the most important strongholds of traditional Irish culture. The island is predominantly

Irish-speaking Irish (Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was t ...

and part of the

Gaeltacht ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially recog ...

, though all inhabitants have knowledge of English.

Geology and geography

The island is an extension of

The Burren The Burren (; ) is a karst/glaciokarst landscape centred in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland.
Burre ...

. The terrain of the island is composed of

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...

pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as "grykes", leaving isolated rocks called "clints". The limestones date from the Visean period (Lower Carboniferous), formed as sediments in a tropical sea about 350 million years ago, and compressed into horizontal strata with fossil

coral Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secre ...

crinoid Crinoids are marine animals that make up the Class (biology), class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or coma ...

sea urchin Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) ...

s, and

ammonites Ammonoids are a group of extinct marine mollusc animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. These molluscs, commonly referred to as ammonites, are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e., octopuses, squid and cuttle ...

. Glaciation following the

Namurian The Namurian is a stage in the regional stratigraphy of northwest Europe with an age between roughly 326 and 313 Ma (million years ago). It is a subdivision of the Carboniferous system or period and the regional Silesian series. The Namurian ...

phase facilitated greater denudation. The result is that Inishmaan is one of the finest examples of a Glacio- karst landscape in the world. The effects of the last glacial period (the Midlandian) are most in evidence, with the island overrun by ice during this glaciation. The impact of earlier karstification (solutional erosion) has been eliminated by the last glacial period. So any karstification now seen dates from around 10,000 years ago, so the island karst is recent. Solutional processes have widened and deepened the grykes of the limestone pavement. Pre-existing lines of weakness in the rock (vertical joints) contribute to the formation of extensive fissures separated by clints (flat, pavement-like slabs). The rock karstification facilitates the formation of subterranean drainage.

Climate and agriculture

The island has an unusually temperate climate. Average air temperatures range from in July to in January. The soil temperature does not usually drop below 6 °C (although the end of 2010 recorded a prolonged period of snow, the first in living memory). Since grass will grow once the temperature rises above 6 °C, the island (like the neighbouring Burren) has one of the longest growing seasons in Ireland or Britain, and supports diverse and rich plant growth. Late May is the sunniest time, and also likely the best time to view flowers, with the gentians and avens peaking (but orchid species blooming later).

Flora and fauna

The island supports

arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada ( Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm ( Greenland), Finland, Iceland ...

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on th ...

, and

alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...

plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment. Like the Burren, the Aran Islands are renowned for their remarkable assemblage of plants and animals. The grykes (crevices) provide moist shelter, thus supporting a wide range of plants, including dwarf shrubs. Where the surface of the pavement is shattered into gravel, many of the hardier arctic or alpine plants can be found, but when the limestone pavement is covered by a thin layer of soil, patches of grass are seen, interspersed with plants such as gentians and orchids. Notable insects present include the butterfly the

pearl-bordered fritillary The pearl-bordered fritillary (''Boloria euphrosyne'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae found in Europe and through Russia across the Palearctic to the north of Kazakhstan. Description The adult butterfly is orange with black spots on ...

(''Boloria euphrosyne''), brown hairstreak (''Thecla betulae''),

marsh fritillary The marsh fritillary (''Euphydryas aurinia'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Commonly distributed in the Palearctic region, the marsh fritillary's common name derives from one of its several habitats, marshland. The prolonged larval st ...

(''Euphydryas aurinia'') and wood white (''Leptidea sinapis''); the moths, the burren green (''Calamia tridens''),

Irish annulet ''Gnophos dumetata'', the Irish annulet, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in large parts of Europe (including West Russia and Ukraine), except Great Britain, Portugal, the Benelux, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Fennoscandia ...

(''Gnophos dumetata'') and

transparent burnet ''Zygaena purpuralis'', the transparent burnet, is a moth of the family Zygaenidae. Description ''Zygaena purpuralis'' is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan reaching . Usually the forewings show three bright red longitudinal streaks quite va ...

(''Zygaena purpuralis''); and the hoverfly ''

Doros profuges ''Doros profuges'' is a Palearctic species of hoverfly. DescriptionExternal images
For ter ...

''.

Landmarks

Archaeological sites

Eight sites on Inishmaan are designated as National Monuments (NM #42): *

Doonbeg Ringfort Doonbeg () is a village in west County Clare, Ireland on the Atlantic coast. The surrounding natural environment has supported its development as a tourist resort. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht, an Iris ...

Carrownlisheen Wedge Tomb Carrownlisheen Wedge Tomb is a wedge-shaped gallery grave and National Monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, ...

(Diarmuid and Gráinne's Bed) * Templesaghtmacree, a church * Carrownlisheen Cross * Labbanakinneriga, a church *

Dún Fearbhaí Dún Fearbhaí () is a stone ringfort (cashel) and national monument located on Inishmaan, one of the Aran Islands, Ireland. Location Dún Fearbhaí is located on the eastern edge of Inishmaan, facing back toward Galway Bay. History The f ...

, a cashel (stone ringfort) * Kilcoonagh Church *

Dún Conor Dún Conor is a stone ringfort (cashel) and national monument located on Inishmaan, Ireland. Location Dún Conor is located at the centre of Inishmaan, at the island's highest point. History The fort probably dates back to the first millenni ...

(Dún Conchuir)

Synge's Cottage and Chair

''Teach Synge'' is the house where

John Millington Synge Edmund John Millington Synge (; 16 April 1871 – 24 March 1909) was an Irish playwright, poet, writer, collector of folklore, and a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival. His best known play '' The Playboy of the Western World'' was poorly ...

stayed on the island every summer from 1898 to 1902, where he was hosted by Bríd and Páidín Mac Donnchadha. It was here he is said to have got inspiration for his plays ''

The Playboy of the Western World ''The Playboy of the Western World'' is a three-act play written by Irish playwright John Millington Synge and first performed at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, on 26 January 1907. It is set in Michael James Flaherty's public house in County Mayo (o ...

'', ''

Riders to the Sea ''Riders to the Sea'' is a play written by Irish Literary Renaissance playwright John Millington Synge. It was first performed on 25 February 1904 at the Molesworth Hall, Dublin, by the Irish National Theater Society with Helen Laird playing Mau ...

'', and many of his other works from stories he heard while on Inishmaann. The house he stayed in, Teach Synge, was inhabited by descendants of the Mac Donnchadha family until the 1970s, when it began to fall into disrepair. It has been restored to its original condition, and has been open to the public since August 1999. ''Cathaoir Synge'' (Synge's Chair) was the writer's favourite place on the island, overlooking Inis Mór and the Atlantic.

Demographics

The table below reports data on Inishmaan's population taken from ''Discover the Islands of Ireland'' (Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and the

Census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of Ireland. Census data in Ireland before 1841 are not considered complete and/or reliable.

Infrastructure

The island is connected to the national grid via a submarine cable as well as having wind turbines with an installed capacity of 675 kW. A

desalination Desalination is a process that takes away mineral components from saline water. More generally, desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from a target substance, as in soil desalination, which is an issue for agriculture. Salt ...

plant provides water for the residents, but water shortages are still a common occurrence. Inishmaan also has a wind farm which runs its desalination plant and fuels the electric car. Inishmaan has a new jetty ("Caladh Mor") since 2007. It also has an airstrip connecting it to the mainland.

Education

There is a primary school on the island, Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Meáin. There is also a secondary school, Colaiste Naomh Eoin. Coláiste Naomh Eoin was opened on 1 September 2003 under the auspices of Coláiste Colmchille (Inverin) and the County Galway Vocational Education Committee. It caters for the entire second level educational needs of the Aran islands. Senior Cycle was first introduced in 2006. The school is housed in a building on hire from the local co-operative. Four school classrooms and the school office are located there. The new science laboratory was renovated in 2008. A woodwork, technical graphics and construction studies workshop was added to the infrastructure over 2008/2010. The school also has use of the local football pitch, in addition to a lined basketball court. The students of Coláiste Naomh Eoin wear a red V neck jumper with a grey polo neck with the crest of the school imprinted on them. Both male and female students wear black trousers with black shoes or runners.

Public library

There is a public library on the island. It holds a diverse and quality collection of adult and children's books. It is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm and on Saturdays from 11.00am to 1.00pm. The library provides a reference and local studies collection with information on the heritage and history of the island. There is also free internet access.

Sport

Some of the limestone sea cliffs have attracted interest from rock-climbers. Diving is popular. Inishmaan is home to the game Cead. This is a traditional sport unique to the island. Cead means "permission" in Irish. Cead is only allowed to be played once a year, on Saint Patrick's Day. Only men can partake in the competitive aspect of the sport. There is an annual 5 km/10km12km race each March known as the 'Inis Iron Meáin Race' organised by Colaiste Noamh Eoin, the island secondary school.

In popular culture

The island is the setting for the 1996 play ''

The Cripple of Inishmaan ''The Cripple of Inishmaan'' is a dark comedy by Martin McDonagh who links the story to the real life filming of the documentary '' Man of Aran''. The play is set on the small Aran Islands community of Inishmaan (Inis Meáin) off the Western ...

'' by

Martin McDonagh Martin Faranan McDonagh (; born 26 March 1970) is a British-Irish playwright, screenwriter, producer, and director. Born and brought up in London, he is the son of Irish parents. He is known as one of the most acclaimed modern playwrights whose ...

References

External links

Official Guide to the Aran IslandsAer Arann Islands

Gallery

File:Dun Chonchuir.jpg, Inside Dún Chonchúir (Conor's fort), Inishmaan File:InisMeainChurch.jpg, Church of Our Lady and St. John File:Inismeain airport.JPG, Inishmaan airport File:Inis Meain 2.JPG, Inishmaan Landscape File:Inis Meain 3.JPG, Inishmaan Coastline File:Wild garlics at Inis Meáin.jpg,

Wild garlic Plant species in the genus ''Allium'' known as wild garlic include the following: *''Allium canadense'', wild onion *''Allium carinatum'', keeled garlic *''Allium drummondii'', Drummond's onion *'' Allium ochotense'', Siberian onion *'' Allium oler ...

at Inishmaan