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

OF SIX INCHES OF TOPSOIL AND A MEAN SEA.

PRECIOUS LITTLE OF THE LAND IS PRODUCTIVE.

UNTIL THE ADVENT OF TOURISM, PEOPLE MADE A PRECARIOUS LIVING

FROM FISHING AND FARMING.

THEY'RE SHIFTING THEM NOW FROM FIELD TO FIELD.

HE'S GOING HALF A MILE WITH THEM MAYBE TO ANOTHER FIELD.

THE FIELDS ARE SO SCATTERED HERE.

THE ROCKY FIELDS ARE SMALL,

DIVIDED BY HUNDREDS OF MILES OF DRY, STONE WALL.

THESE WALLS ARE BUILT IN A WAY

THAT ALLOWS GATES TO BE MADE IN THEM

WHEREVER THE FARMER WANTS.

WHEN A FARMER NEEDS TO MOVE HIS LIVESTOCK,

HE CAN DISMANTLE AND REBUILD THE WALLS EASILY.

I'M GOING TO KNOCK THIS WALL DOWN NOW.

THIS IS THE WAY THEY DO IT.

IF I HAD CATTLE NOW, WHEN IT'S DOWN TO THE GROUND,

THE CATTLE WOULD WALK IN AND, WHEN THEY'RE INSIDE,

WE BUILD IT UP AGAIN.

WE'RE NOT TRESPASSING HERE.

THIS IS THOMAS'S FIELD

AND THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK TO BE DONE WHILE THE SUN'S OUT.

THAT'S MY HAY THERE NOW.

THAT'S OKAY.

JACKIE, COME ON, HELP ME WITH... ANDY, CAN YOU HELP ME?

SO, YOU STACKED IT UP ANTICIPATING RAIN. RIGHT?

THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S WET.

AND I WILL HAVE TO SCATTER IT AROUND TO DRY,

TO DRY IT BEFORE I PUT IT IN THE SHED.

Rick: OKAY, SO TONIGHT THIS WILL BE DRY?

Thomas: YES, TONIGHT THIS WILL BE DRY.

Rick: AND TOMORROW, IT'S WEETABIX FOR THE COWS.

TOMORROW? NO, I WON'T USE IT UNTIL WINTER.

WELL, THOMAS MANAGED TO TRICK MY ENTIRE FAMILY

INTO AN AFTERNOON OF LABOR.

BUT, IN RETURN, WE MADE A FRIEND

AND LEARNED ABOUT THE HAY AND GATES OF INISHMORE.

A COUPLE OF CENTURIES AGO

WHEN THE ENGLISH TOOK THE BEST PARTS OF IRELAND IN THE EAST,

THEY TOLD THE CATHOLIC LOCALS TO GO TO HELL

OR GO TO CONNEMARRA, POOR LAND OUT HERE IN THE WEST.

OVER TIME, THE ENGLISH EVEN TOOK MOST OF THE WEST,

BUT THEY NEVER REACHED THESE REMOTE ARAN ISLANDS.

TODAY THOSE DESPERATE DAYS ARE LONG GONE

AS IRELAND ENJOYS ONE OF EUROPE'S HOTTEST ECONOMIES.

TO FEEL THE PULSE OF TODAY'S IRELAND,

WE'RE HEADING FOR THE MAINLAND

AND THE BIGGEST CITY OF THE WEST, GALWAY.

FOR THE FIRST TIME

THE IRISH ARE MAKING AS MUCH MONEY AS THE ENGLISH.

AND YOU FEEL THE BOOM TIME IN GALWAY.

WITH 60,000 PEOPLE, IT'S A LIVELY UNIVERSITY TOWN

WITH ONE OF THE YOUNGEST POPULATIONS IN ALL OF EUROPE.

ACCORDING TO LOCAL TRADITION, GALWAY'S NAME TELLS ITS STORY.

Gal IS AN OLD IRISH WORD FOR FOREIGNER.

THAT WOULD MAKE GALWAY "TOWN OF THE FOREIGNERS."

IT WAS JUST A MEDIEVAL FISHING VILLAGE

UNTIL THE 12OOs WHEN THE ENGLISH CAME.

THESE FOREIGNERS TOSSED OUT THE IRISH

AND BUILT A WALL TO FORTIFY THEIR TOWN.

THE DISPOSSESSED IRISH, NOW OUTSIDE THE WALL,

CALLED THE TOWN GALWAY, TOWN OF FOREIGNERS.

THE SPANISH ARCH, WHERE SPANISH SHIPS

WOULD UNLOAD THEIR CARGO 400 YEARS AGO,

IS A REMINDER OF THE TRADING IMPORTANCE GALWAY ONCE ENJOYED.

THE TOWN'S TINY MUSEUM IS HUMBLE.

BUT IF IT'S FRAGMENTS OF OLD GALWAY YOU'RE LOOKING FOR,

THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE KEPT.

WHILE THE TOWN HAS A LONG AND INTERESTING HISTORY,

ITS BRITISH OVERLORDS, WHO RULED HERE UNTIL 1922,

HAD LITTLE INTEREST IN PRESERVING ITS HERITAGE.

CONSEQUENTLY, LITTLE FROM OLD GALWAY SURVIVES.

THIS RARE REMAINING BIT OF ITS ONCE FORMIDABLE WALL

IS NOW ENGULFED IN A MODERN SHOPPING MALL.

AND THE 400-YEAR-OLD FORTIFIED HOMES OF THE LOCAL NOBILITY --

THIS ONE'S NOW A BANK --

ARE NOW SWALLOWED UP IN GALWAY'S COMMERCIAL HUBBUB.

EYRE SQUARE, DOWNTOWN GALWAY'S CENTRAL PARK,

IS A POPULAR HANGOUT.

IT CONTAINS THE JOHN F. KENNEDY PARK, ESTABLISHED IN MEMORY

OF THE IRISH-AMERICAN PRESIDENT WHO VISITED HERE

IN 1963, JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HE WAS ASSASSINATED.

THE RIVER CORRIB CUTS THROUGH THE CENTER OF TOWN.

SALMON RUN UP THE RIVER MOST OF THE SUMMER.

FISHERMEN BOOK LONG IN ADVANCE

TO GET HALF-DAY APPOINTMENTS FOR A CASTING SPOT.

WHAT GALWAY LACKS IN SITES, IT MAKES UP FOR IN AMBIENCE.

SPEND AN AFTERNOON WANDERING ITS HARBOR AREA

AND FEEL THE FISHING VILLAGE IT USED TO BE,

OR JUST STROLL ITS STREETS WITH THEIR DELIGHTFUL MIX

OF COLORFUL FACADES AND YOUTHFUL CROWDS.

FROM GALWAY, IT'S JUST AN HOUR'S DRIVE TO THE BURREN,

AN INTRIGUING 50-SQUARE-MILE LIMESTONE PLATEAU.

THE BURREN IS SO BARREN

THAT WHEN CROMWELL INVADED THIS PART OF IRELAND IN THE 1650s,

HIS DISAPPOINTED SURVEYOR DESCRIBED IT AS "A SAVAGE LAND

"YIELDING NEITHER WATER ENOUGH TO DROWN A MAN

NOR A TREE TO HANG HIM, NOR SOIL ENOUGH TO BURY HIM."

BUT HE WASN'T MUCH OF A BOTANIST.

LOCAL GUIDE SHANE CONNELLY LOVES TO SHOW HOW THE BURREN

IS A UNIQUE AND THRIVING ECOSYSTEM.

WE'RE HERE IN EARLY JULY, THE BEST SEASON FOR FLOWERS.

...ALL THIS RARE BOTANY, THE ORCHIDS, THE DRYAS OCTAPETALA,

THE HEATHERS, WILD THYME,

THE SMALLEST WILD ROSE IN IRELAND,

OVER 600 VARIETIES OF PLANTS.

Rick: LET'S TAKE A CLOSE LOOK.

Shane: THERE'S A LOVELY EXAMPLE OF A GERANIUM.

BLOODY CRANESBILL.

YOU SEE IT IN JUNE, JULY.

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE BLOODY CRANESBILL.

SEE THE SEED HEAD HERE?

IN THE SHAPE OF A CRANE'S BEAK

AND THAT'S WHAT GOES A BLOODY COLOR, NOT THE BLOSSOM HERE.

WHEN THE BLOSSOMS FALL OFF, THAT'S THE RED SEPALS.

NOW THERE'S A LOVELY EXAMPLE OF THE POTENTILLA,

FOUR-PETALED, UNUSUAL FOR ITS FAMILY.

RIGHT BESIDE IT YET TO COME OUT IS A ST. JOHN'S WORT.

THAT'S SLENDER ST. JOHN'S WORT.

IT COMES OUT FOR ST. JOHN'S DAY, THE 24th OF JUNE,

SO HENCE THE NAME ST. JOHN'S WORT.

THE BURREN SUPPORTS THE GREATEST DIVERSITY

OF PLANTS IN IRELAND.

LIKE NOWHERE ELSE,

MEDITERRANEAN AND ARCTIC WILDFLOWERS BLOOM SIDE BY SIDE.

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE

IS FOLIAGE OF THE MOUNTAIN AVENS, DRYAS OCTAPETALA.

IT'S A PLANT OF THE TUNDRA.

THIS AREA WAS TUNDRA. IT HAS DISAPPEARED.

THIS IS STILL HERE, IN OTHER WORDS, IT CAME WITH THE GLACIER.

ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MEDITERRANEAN ORCHID,

THE HEAT-SPOTTED ORCHID.

IT CAME WITH THE LAND BRIDGE AND SURVIVED THE CHANGES.

THERE YOU HAVE IT.

A PLANT FROM THAT CLIMATE, THAT LANDSCAPE,

BESIDE A PLANT FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN.

WANDER FOR SOME QUIET TIME WITH THE WILDFLOWERS.

LIMESTONE, CREATED FROM LAYERS OF SEA MUD,

IS THE BASIS OF THE BURREN.

THE EARTH'S CRUST HEAVED IT UP AND THE GLACIERS SWEPT IT BARE,

DROPPING BOULDERS AS THEY RECEDED.

THE BURREN IS ALSO RICH IN MYSTERIOUS ANCIENT SITES.

THIS IS THE PORTAL DOLMEN.

FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO,

LOCALS THOUGHT THIS WAS A DRUID'S ALTAR.

FOUR THOUSAND YEARS AGO, IT ACTUALLY WAS A GRAVE,

COVERED BY A NOW LONG-GONE MOUND OF DIRT.

THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE BURREN

IS MARKED BY THE CLIFFS OF MOHER.