The video owner has disabled playback on external websites.
This video is no longer available on YouTube.
This video cannot be played right now.
Watch on YouTube
Unlock AI-Powered Learning Tools
Sign up to access powerful tools that help you learn faster from every video.
The Best of West Ireland: Dingle, Galway, and the Aran Islands
Learning Stats
CEFR Level
Difficulty
Subtitles (502 segments)
HI, I'M RICK STEVES, AND THIS TIME WE'RE EXPLORING
THE BEST OF WESTERN IRELAND.
AND WE'RE STARTING ABOUT AS WEST AS YOU CAN GET,
ON THE ARAN ISLANDS, WHERE, AS THE PEOPLE HERE SAY,
"THE NEXT PARISH OVER IS BOSTON," RIGHT?
THAT'S RIGHT.
IRELAND, ESPECIALLY ITS WEST, HAS A UNIQUE CHARM
WHERE ITS RUGGED NATURAL BEAUTY AND ITS VIBRANT TRADITIONS
CAN BE SEEN AND ACTUALLY FELT.
WE'LL DELVE INTO THE BEST OF THE WEST,
NOT POLISHED AND ON A MUSEUM SHELF
BUT WONDERFULLY RAW AND UNREFINED.
AFTER IMAGINING THIS ISLAND'S MISTY PAST,
OLD AS THE PYRAMIDS,
WE ENJOY PLENTY OF TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC,
FROM A FOOT-STOMPING SMALL-TOWN DANCE SHOW
TO LOCAL PUBS WHERE EVERY NIGHT'S A MUSIC FEST.
WE EXPLORE THE BIGGEST CITY OF WITH THE WEST COAST,
HANG FROM A DRAMATIC CLIFF,
AND EAT REALLY WELL,
ALL WITH MY FAVORITE TRAVEL PARTNERS,
MY KIDS, ANDY AND JACKIE,
AND MY WIFE, ANNE.
IRELAND LIES AT THE FAR WEST OF EUROPE,
AND WE'RE EXPLORING THE FAR WEST OF IRELAND.
STARTING ON THE REMOTE ARAN ISLANDS, WE CRUISE TO GALWAY,
HIKE THE RUGGED BURREN AND MARVEL AT THE CLIFFS OF MOHER,
BEFORE VENTURING TO DINGLE,
AND FINISHING ON GREAT BLASKET ISLAND.
WE'RE BEGINNING HERE ON INISHMORE.
AT EIGHT MILES LONG AND TWO MILES WIDE,
IT'S THE LARGEST OF THE THREE ARAN ISLANDS.
IT'S ALSO THE MOST POPULATED, INTERESTING AND VISITED.
INISHMORE'S MAIN ATTRACTION
IS THE 2,000-YEAR-OLD FORTRESS OF DUN AENGUS,
WHICH HANGS PRECARIOUSLY ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF
300 FEET ABOVE THE ATLANTIC.
THE CONCENTRIC WALLS OF THIS MYSTERIOUS CELTIC FORT
ARE 13 FEET THICK AND 10 FEET HIGH.
AS AN ADDED DEFENSE, EFFECTIVE EVEN TODAY,
THE FORT IS RINGED WITH A COMMOTION OF SPIKY STONES
CALLED FRISIAN SOLDIERS.
STICKING UP LIKE LANCES,
THEY'RE NAMED AFTER ANCIENT LDIERS
WHO USED A WALL OF SPEARS TO STOP A CHARGING CAVALRY.
LITTLE BY LITTLE, AS THE CLIFF ERODES,
THE WALLS OF THIS CIRCULAR FORT FALL INTO THE SEA BELOW.
DUN AENGUS CAN BE MOBBED BY DAY-TRIPPERS.
BUT SINCE WE SPENT THE NIGHT, WE'RE HERE EARLY,
AND THE PLACE IS ALL OURS.
I MAKE A POINT TO BE ALL ALONE HERE,
WHERE THE CRASHING WAVES BELOW SEEM TO SAY,
"YOU'VE COME TO THE VERY EDGE OF EUROPE."
KILRONAN IS THE ONLY REAL TOWN ON THE ARAN ISLANDS,
BUT IT'S STILL JUST A VILLAGE
WITH A HANDFUL OF SHOPS, PUBS, RESTAURANTS AND B&Bs.
KILRONAN HUDDLES AROUND ITS PIER
WHERE GROUPS OF BACKPACKERS
WASH ASHORE WITH THE LANDING OF EACH FERRY.
BRING CASH.
THERE ARE NO ATMs ON THE ISLAND.
THE ISLANDS ARE A GAELTACHT -- OR GAELIC-SPEAKING AREA --
A KIND OF NATIONAL PARK FOR IRELAND'S TRADITIONAL CULTURE.
WHILE THE ISLANDERS SPEAK ENGLISH FOR VISITORS,
THEY CHAT AMONG THEMSELVES IN THIS OLD IRISH LANGUAGE.
[ speaking in Irish ]
LIKE ALL GAELTACHTS,
KILRONAN HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF FOLK TRADITIONS AND MUSIC.
THE RAGUS DANCE SHOW GIVES VISITORS AN INTIMATE LOOK
AT IRISH HARD SHOE, OR STEP DANCING,
ACCOMPANIED BY TRADITIONAL IRISH INSTRUMENTS.
IF YOU WERE HERE IN EARLIER GENERATIONS,
YOU'D SEE STEP DANCES LIKE THESE AT A COUNTRY CROSSROADS,
WITH NEIGHBORS DANCING AROUND A FIRE
TO WHATEVER INSTRUMENTS SHOWED UP.
[ cheers and applause ]
KILRONAN IS A SPRINGBOARD FOR ISLAND EXPLORATION.
RENTING BIKES IS SAFE, INEXPENSIVE AND SCENIC.
PONY CARTS, WHILE PRICEY, ARE MORE ROMANTIC.
AND SHARED MINIBUSES,
WHICH AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF EACH FERRY,
PROVIDE CHEAP GUIDED TOURS FOR A QUICK AND EFFICIENT LOOK
AT THE ISLAND'S SIGHTS AND A CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW
AND LEARN FROM A COLORFUL LOCAL GUIDE.
WE'VE SNARED A MINIBUS FOR OUR FAMILY.
ANNE, ANDY AND JACKIE ARE JOINING ME
FOR A TOUR WITH THOMAS O'NEIL,
WHO'S LIVED ON THE ISLAND ALL HIS LIFE.
[ speaking in Irish ]
THAT'S IN IRISH NOW.
Bíodh lá. IT'S A NICE DAY.
WE'RE TAKING THE COAST ROAD ON THE WAY TO THE --
UP TO THE END OF THE ISLAND.
IT'S A NICE DAY, HUH? COULDN'T BE ANY BETTER, HUH?
800 ISLANDERS LIVE IN 14 HAMLETS
WITH THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THREE CHURCHES.
MANY FAMILIES OWN SMALL DETACHED FIELDS
WHERE THEY KEEP A FEW COWS.
SHEEP ARE TOO MUCH TROUBLE.
THERE'S A STARK BEAUTY ABOUT THESE ISLANDS
AND THE SIMPLE LIVES ITS INHABITANTS EKE OUT
Full subtitles available in the video player
Practice with Exercises
Generate vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension exercises from this video
Comments (0)
Login to CommentSign up to unlock full features
Track progress, save vocabulary, and practice exercises
Interactive Mode
Quiz
Correct answer:
Related Videos
Rick Steves' Europe
Quiz
Correct answer:
Quizzes appear as you watch the video
Memory Tip
From this video
Start learning languages for free
