Overview
An Túr Faire, the Signal Tower, was built to be seen. It stands 65 metres above the sea on a rise on Inis Oírr, the smallest of the Aran Islands, and on a clear day you can make out the two towers it was designed to talk to: the signal tower on Inis Mór, about 14 km to the northwest, and the tower at Hag’s Head on the Clare coast, about 13.5 km to the south. That line of sight is the whole point of the place. Getting to it is free, and it’s a short but steep walk up from the village.
History
The tower is a remnant of Ireland’s Napoleonic coastal defence network. Built in 1804, it was one of 82 similar towers raised around the Irish coast between 1804 and 1806, when fear of a French invasion prompted a chain of stations, each positioned to be visible to its neighbours on either side.
Signals were sent from a tall wooden mast, hoisting a large flag, a small pendant and four black balls in different combinations; the stations could also communicate with passing ships. The Inis Oírr tower is a slightly finer piece of building than most of its siblings, with dressed limestone surrounds. After Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815 the threat of invasion receded and the towers, expensive to keep manned, were abandoned. The island’s lighthouse came later, first lit on 1 May 1818, and served a different purpose. Today the tower is a protected national monument, with an information board at the site setting out its history.
Getting there
Ferry access: Inis Oírr is reached by regular ferries from Doolin and Rossaveal on the mainland. The crossing from Doolin takes about 15 minutes; from Rossaveal it’s roughly 40 to 50 minutes. Ferries land at the sheltered pier in the main village.
On-island transport: The island is small enough to cross on foot, and bicycles and horse-drawn carriages are available for hire in the village. The tower sits on the hill a short distance from the village centre, up a well-trodden but steep path, so be ready for a brisk climb.
What to see & do
- The view: The reason the tower is where it is. On a clear day the sightlines run to Inis Mór and to Hag’s Head, with the Atlantic and the Galway coast filling the rest. It’s a fine spot late in the day as the light drops over the water.
- The building: Note the dressed limestone surrounds that set this tower apart from the plainer ones on the mainland, and read the on-site information board for the signalling story.
- Walking loop: The tower is one stop on a good walking loop that also takes in the ruins of O’Brien’s Castle, the GAA pitch (Páirc Peile Inis Oírr) and the Cnoc Raithní Bronze Age burial mound, a compact tour of the island’s history in an hour or two.
- Photography: The pale limestone walls stand out against the sea and the patchwork of dry-stone-walled fields, and it’s at its most dramatic when cloud gathers over the Atlantic.
Practical information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Open year-round; accessible at any time. |
| Admission fee | Free entry. |
| Accessibility | The interior is gated and not open; you reach the base and courtyard by a steep, uneven path. Suitable for walkers with reasonable fitness. |
| Facilities | No toilets or refreshments on-site. Amenities are in the village, a short walk downhill. |
| Best time to visit | Early morning or late afternoon for the best light and fewer people. |
The site is unstaffed and there is nothing at the tower itself, so bring what you need and wear footwear that copes with the rough path. If you’re making a day of it, An Loch Mór, the island’s large freshwater lake, is an easy addition on the way back down.