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During our time in County Galway our group was lucky enough to visit the Aran Islands. As part of this trip we biked across the island, trekked up a giant hill to witness one of the most amazing views of the natural world, Dun Aengus. We had to start ten feet away from the edge and crawl to see the majestic sight. It was a trip of a lifetime that none of us will soon forget. Dun Aengus consists of cliffs that rise 350 feet above the water. As we looked out at the vast expanse of the ocean we could literally see the curve of the earth.
Dun Aengus, located on Inis Mor, is one of the most famous hillforts on the Aran Islands dating back to prehistoric times. No one is quite sure when Dun Aengus was built, but it is thought to have had several stages in its building process, beginning in the Late Bronze Age, before 500 BC. The second period is thought to have been in the Iron Age, between 500 BC and 500 AD. The last stage would have been during the Early Medieval period. Because Dun Aengus is a rather small fort, and because exotic goods such as amber beads were found on the premise, it is also believed that only the highest members of society lived within its confines. The chiefs of Dun Aengus, at the time it was built, were very wealthy and powerful. It is thought that they controlled most of the western sea passages, keeping it safe from pirates. They did this for the merchants of Galway. In exchange for this protection they received money.
Those who constructed Dun Aengus definitely knew what they were doing when they thought of where to put it, and how to build it. The location was significant in that it was highly effective as a defense and as an offense. Because it overlooked such a wide lot of the surrounding area, it greatly reduced the risk of surprise attacks or raids. Also, the cliffs made it impossible for anyone to directly raid the fort from the sea. Because of its height, it was an extreme and visible symbol of power to those who saw it. And as far as we can guess, it was probably a very intimidating site to stumble upon.
I am sure that Dun Aengus had a huge cultural impact in Ireland and on the Aran Islands at some point, but it is hard to tell because we have such little information to work with. Most of what can be collected is left up to interpretation and inferring what is known about the culture at the time the fort was in use. What we do know however, is that Dun Aengus is one of the most popular places to visit on the Aran Islands, and quite possibly in all of Ireland. Its sheer beauty and majestic feel attract people from all over to simply marvel at God's creation off the edge of a cliff.
Personally, Dun Aengus has been my favorite place to visit. It was not only beautiful, but brought a sense of peace to me (which is off seeing as I was staring into the dark abyss of the Atlantic from 350 feet up). It reminded me of how big God is and how little we are in comparison to know only God, but his creation as well. It amazes me to think about how effortlessly he made such a wondrous view, and how much more effort he puts into me on a daily basis. Wow. Just think about that for a minute, the same God who created the hundreds of shades of blue in the ocean, and the hundreds of feet of rocks, and the waves curling and foaming and hitting the wall, made me too. If that doesn't make you feel loved, I don't know what will. How incredible is our God?
Not only was Dun Aengus a bit of a spiritual experience, but it was also a very social and emotional experience as well. As I said, it was very calming for me, but for some it was a feat just to look over the edge. Some of us faced fears, while others of us found our happy place (that was me if case you couldn't tell). It also brought us together in a way a lot of our little trips can't. We had to ride bikes for 30 minutes (uphill, lots and lots of hills) just to get to the bottom of the hill. Once we got there, we still had a 20 minute walk to the top of the fort. Now I don't know if you've ever done either of those things, but such rigorous activity leads to some great bonding.
Overall, Dun Aengus taught us a lot. Sure we learned some of the history of the fort and we learned about the culture of the town in which it was located, but most importantly we learned about ourselves, about each other, and about God. What more could you ask for on a day trip to the most beautiful place in the world with 29 of your closest friends, am I right? I'm right.
Dun Aengus, located on Inis Mor, is one of the most famous hillforts on the Aran Islands dating back to prehistoric times. No one is quite sure when Dun Aengus was built, but it is thought to have had several stages in its building process, beginning in the Late Bronze Age, before 500 BC. The second period is thought to have been in the Iron Age, between 500 BC and 500 AD. The last stage would have been during the Early Medieval period. Because Dun Aengus is a rather small fort, and because exotic goods such as amber beads were found on the premise, it is also believed that only the highest members of society lived within its confines. The chiefs of Dun Aengus, at the time it was built, were very wealthy and powerful. It is thought that they controlled most of the western sea passages, keeping it safe from pirates. They did this for the merchants of Galway. In exchange for this protection they received money.
Those who constructed Dun Aengus definitely knew what they were doing when they thought of where to put it, and how to build it. The location was significant in that it was highly effective as a defense and as an offense. Because it overlooked such a wide lot of the surrounding area, it greatly reduced the risk of surprise attacks or raids. Also, the cliffs made it impossible for anyone to directly raid the fort from the sea. Because of its height, it was an extreme and visible symbol of power to those who saw it. And as far as we can guess, it was probably a very intimidating site to stumble upon.
I am sure that Dun Aengus had a huge cultural impact in Ireland and on the Aran Islands at some point, but it is hard to tell because we have such little information to work with. Most of what can be collected is left up to interpretation and inferring what is known about the culture at the time the fort was in use. What we do know however, is that Dun Aengus is one of the most popular places to visit on the Aran Islands, and quite possibly in all of Ireland. Its sheer beauty and majestic feel attract people from all over to simply marvel at God's creation off the edge of a cliff.
Personally, Dun Aengus has been my favorite place to visit. It was not only beautiful, but brought a sense of peace to me (which is off seeing as I was staring into the dark abyss of the Atlantic from 350 feet up). It reminded me of how big God is and how little we are in comparison to know only God, but his creation as well. It amazes me to think about how effortlessly he made such a wondrous view, and how much more effort he puts into me on a daily basis. Wow. Just think about that for a minute, the same God who created the hundreds of shades of blue in the ocean, and the hundreds of feet of rocks, and the waves curling and foaming and hitting the wall, made me too. If that doesn't make you feel loved, I don't know what will. How incredible is our God?
Not only was Dun Aengus a bit of a spiritual experience, but it was also a very social and emotional experience as well. As I said, it was very calming for me, but for some it was a feat just to look over the edge. Some of us faced fears, while others of us found our happy place (that was me if case you couldn't tell). It also brought us together in a way a lot of our little trips can't. We had to ride bikes for 30 minutes (uphill, lots and lots of hills) just to get to the bottom of the hill. Once we got there, we still had a 20 minute walk to the top of the fort. Now I don't know if you've ever done either of those things, but such rigorous activity leads to some great bonding.
Overall, Dun Aengus taught us a lot. Sure we learned some of the history of the fort and we learned about the culture of the town in which it was located, but most importantly we learned about ourselves, about each other, and about God. What more could you ask for on a day trip to the most beautiful place in the world with 29 of your closest friends, am I right? I'm right.