AR RAN, SOUTH ISLES OF. These are three small islands lying n.e. and s.w. across the entrance to Galway hay. about 4 m. off tne w. coast of Ireland, and 27 w. of Galway city. They form the barony of A., and give the title of earl to the Gore family. Total area, 11,287 acres. The principal or w. island, Inishmore, is 7 m. long and 2 broad; Inishmaan, or " Middle isle," c,.,.nes next; and then Inishere to the south-east. Pop. in 1871, 3050, of which number 2122 inhabited Inishmore, 433 Inislunaan, and 495 Inishere., Of the total pop. all but 57 were Roman Catholics; 504 could read and write, 143 could read only, and the rest were illiterate. The islands consist of the carboniferous lime-' stone of the bed of Galway bay, and rise to the height of 100 to 200 ft. on the w. side, ending in cliffs facing the Atlantic. Most of the land is rudely cultivated. The chief ettps are rye, oats, and potatoes. Most of the inhabitants engage in fishing; and the corragh or wicker-work skiff is still to be seen here. They are subject to famines from
parching rainless west winds in August destroying the potato-crop. These islands con tained at one time 20 churches and monasteries. Inishmore was the center of these, still known as Aran-na-naomh, or " Arran of the Saints." Many pilgrims still visit the old shrines and relics scattered through the islands. St. Kenanach church, built in the 7th c., still exists, all but its stone roof, as well as the stone oratories and little bee-hive stone huts of the monks of the 6th and 7th centuries. There are nine circular cyclopean for tresses of unliewn uncemented stones (portions of the walls still being 20 ft. high), sup posed to have been built in the 1st c. by the Fir-Bolg or Beige. The largest of these, Dun .Angus, on a cliff in Inishmore, 220 ft. high, is one of the most magnificent bar baric monuments in Europe.