Unique Ireland: Welcome To The Serpents Lair On Inis Mór (AKA ‘The Wormhole’)

A couple of months back we started a bit of a mini-series that shines the spotlight on some of Ireland’s hidden gems.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at everything from secret waterfalls in Donegal to castles plonked smack bang in the middle of lakes.

Today, we’re off to County Galway to have a gander at a naturally formed phenomenon that’s found on the mighty Inis Mór Island.

Welcome to Poll na bPeist: The Wormhole on Inis Mór

Photo by Lukasz Warzecha via Failte Ireland

Although you’ll often hear it referred to as ‘the Serpent’s Lair’ and ‘the Wormhole’, the official name for one of the Aran Islands most unique attractions is ‘Poll na bPeist’.

You’ll find Poll na bPeist around 1.6km south of the magnificent cliffside fort of Dun Aonghasa, on the west side of Inis Mór Island.

Although the finely-cut edges would lead you to believe that this is a man-made swimming pool, it was in fact formed naturally… which is a little bit mental to think, when you look at the photo above!

Poll na bPeist has a number of underground channels which connect to the ocean. When the tide is in, water rushes into the hole via an underground cave and forces the water over the edges, filling the hole from above.

Yes, this is where the Red Bull Diving Series took place

If you’re looking at the pictures above and thinking that you’ve seen the Wormhole on Inis Mór before, the chances are you saw some of the videos from the Red Bull Diving Series that went viral in 2017.

Inis Mór was the first stop on the 2017 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Divers gracefully hopped into a sinking and swelling blowhole. Bricks would be shat…

Divers jumped from a diving board on the cliffs above down into the chilly waters below. Bash the play button above and feel your stomach twitch.

How to get to the Wormhole

Photo by MNStudio/shutterstock.com

You’ll find the Wormhole on the island of Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands. There are several ways to get here:

• By plane (from Connemara Airport at Inverin)
• By ferry (from Doolin Pier in Clare or Rossaveel in Galway)

Pair a visit to the Wormhole with a visit to Dun Aonghasa. You’ll reach Dun Aonghasa first. Have a nosey out at the cliffs here and the magnificent fort.

From here, follow the signs for Gort na gCapall (or just ramble (carefully east along the cliffs from Dun Aonghasa).

Other things to do on Inis Mór

Photo by Chris Hill via Failte Ireland

If you hop into our Inis Mor guide, you’ll find heaps of places to visit! This place is home to some of the best things to do on the Aran Islands.

If you’re visiting Galway and you’re debating taking a ferry (or a flight) over to the Aran Islands, then get off the fence – they’re WELL WORTH the visit!

The three islands of Aran (Inis Mor, Inis Oirr and Inis Meain) are home to an almost endless number of things to see and do, from spectacular cliffs and plenty of forts to historic sites and lovely little cafes

If you fancy exploring the three islands over the course of a long-weekend, you’ll find a full itinerary to follow in our Aran Islands tour guide.

Keith O'Hara

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