Dun Aonghasa
Set on the edge of a cliff some 100 meters above the Atlantic, Dun Aonghasa is a magnificent prehistoric ring fort dating back to approximately 1500 BC. The exact purpose of Dun Aonghasa remains unclear, though the Visitor's Centre provides an informative account of the site's history and mysteries. Legend has that Aengus was King of the Fir Bolg, a tribe who settled on Aran and constructed these forts for protection against some nefarious enemy. Other stories postulate that Dun Aonghasa was more used as a place of worship, perhaps even as a sacrificial alter. Whatever the case, Dun Aonghasa must be experienced firsthand, so definitely make it a part of your journey to the Aran Islands.
From a visitors standpoint, Dun Aonghasa is magical, a place best approached as a pilgrimage. Visitors must first trek 7 miles across Inishmore, from Kilronan to Kilmurvey. (Weather permitting hire a bike for maximum impact, else hail a tour bus along the Quay.) Once at the visitors centre, you then encounter a half mile walk to the edge of the cliff where Dun Aonghasa is perched.
The structure is impressive an, comprising a series of 4 concentric stone walls and the first ring is in some places 4 meters high. The original shape is presumed to have been oval or D-shaped, taking its present C shape only after a few millennia of continual erosion collapsed part of the structure. Inside the "fort" is a large rectangular carved stone slab that faces to the cliff, perhaps used for ceremonies or some kind of druidic rites. The fort is surrounded by a stone chevaux de frise, the defence system found in similar sites throughout Northern Europe that deterred charging armies.
Perhaps what's most magical about Dun Aonghasa is its remarkable cliff top location. On a clear day the view is extraordinary: Achill Island to the north, Galway Bay, the long sloping shoreline of County Clare and even Kerry to the South of the Shannon Estuary. And to the West nothing but uninterrupted sea.
For maximum impact Dun Aonghasa should be visited early in the morning or near sunset, when visitors could even enjoy this highly popular destination in solitude.
