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Voykit pocket guide · Ireland
Arranmore
Árainn Mhór
Go for 1–2 nights if you want a quiet Gaeltacht island: 20-min ferry from Burtonport, 14 km walking loop, four pubs, no ATM.
Arranmore is a 5 km-wide Gaeltacht island off west Donegal, reached by a 20-minute ro-ro ferry from Burtonport. There is one main settlement at Leabgarrow, a 14 km way-marked walking trail, sea cliffs and a lighthouse, and very little else. One night is enough for most travellers; two if you walk the whole loop and want a slow pub evening. Bring cash and supplies, because there is no bank or ATM on the island or at the pier.
- Country
- Ireland
- Local name
- Árainn Mhór
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (wind, rain, short days)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere, including pubs and taxis.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–140 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Three and Eir run the networks; prepaid SIMs (also 48, Tesco Mobile, GoMo) sell in phone shops and newsagents, no registration fuss.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire, coast guard 112 · Alternative emergency number 999
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Type G three-pin, like the UK; European and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–15% if service is not included.; Pub: Not expected when ordering at the bar.; Taxi: Round up.; Tour guide or driver: €5–10 per person for a day tour.; Hotel porter: €1–2 per bag.
- Water
- Tap water is safe; occasional local 'boil water' notices are posted by Uisce Éireann.
- Toilets
- Free in shopping centres, museums, pubs (as a customer) and many petrol stations; some public toilets charge 50c.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in a café | €3–4 |
| Pub main course | €14–20 |
| Pint of stout | €5–6 |
| Ferry, foot passenger return | €15–25 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CFN · Donegal Airport (Carrickfinn)
- About 1 h 30 min by road to Burtonport; check current schedules
- DUB · Dublin Airport
- About 4 h by road to Burtonport; bus and rail connections via Letterkenny
Typical fares
- Ferry Burtonport → Leabgarrow
- about 20 min; foot passenger return about €15–25 (check)
- Local Link bus 271, Letterkenny → Burtonport
- about 1 h 40 min, several times a day (check)
Get around
The island is small: the farthest points are about 5 km from Leabgarrow pier, so an hour's walk reaches most of it. There is no taxi or minibus service. Bike hire is available near the pier (check current opening). Bringing a car mainly helps with supplies and weather; parking at Burtonport harbour is limited but free.The island is small: the farthest points are about 3.1 mi from Leabgarrow pier, so an hour's walk reaches most of it. There is no taxi or minibus service. Bike hire is available near the pier (check current opening). Bringing a car mainly helps with supplies and weather; parking at Burtonport harbour is limited but free.
See and do
Known for
- Gaeltacht Irish-speaking community
- Arranmore Way walking trail (14 km)
- Arranmore Lighthouse and sea cliffs
- Quiet pubs and island pace
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Burtonport and Dungloe | Ferry back to Burtonport, then Local Link bus 271 or drive to Dungloe | About 1 h to Dungloe |
| Tory Island | Ferry from Magheraroarty, County Donegal | About 2 h 30 min from Arranmore |
| Glenveagh National Park | Local Link bus 271 from Burtonport via Dungloe, or drive | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Leabgarrow (around the ferry pier)
- The main settlement: guesthouses, pubs, the island store and the community centre are all within a few minutes' walk.
- Ilion / south of the pier
- Glamping pods and quieter lanes; about 1 km from the pier.Glamping pods and quieter lanes; about 0.6 mi from the pier.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dia duitjeea gwit |
| Thank you | Go raibh maith agatguh rev mah agut |
| Please | Le do thoilleh duh hull |
| Goodbye | Slánslawn |
| How much is it? | Cé mhéad é?kay vade ay |
| Where is the toilet? | Cá bhfuil an leithreas?kaw will un leh-rass |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names quickly; avoid: Over-formality; it reads as coldness
- Conversation: Banter, weather and sport; self-deprecating humour; avoid: Opening with Northern Ireland, religion or the Famine
- Pubs: Buy your round; chat at the bar; avoid: Leaving a round without buying one
- Identity: Say Ireland, or the Republic when you need to distinguish; avoid: 'Southern Ireland' and calling it British
- Driving: Lift a finger from the wheel to thank drivers who pull in for you; avoid: Stopping on narrow bends for photos
Scams and watch-outs
- No bank or ATM on Arranmore or at Burtonport: bring enough cash for the whole stay.
- Mobile coverage is sparse; expect 4G only around Leabgarrow, and nothing reliable elsewhere.
- The Lighthouse Steps path is steep and exposed: not for children or anyone unsure on their feet.
- Book the ferry in summer; off-peak you can usually pay at the pier kiosk.
- The two ferry operators have similar names and tickets are not transferable between them.
Arranmore is a small, low-crime island; the real risks are weather, cliff edges and the ferry timetable. Tell someone your walking plan, carry a charged phone and a rain layer, and do not rely on mobile signal away from Leabgarrow.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Arranmore yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gaeltacht Irish-speaking community
- Arranmore Way walking trail (14 km)
- Arranmore Lighthouse and sea cliffs
- Quiet pubs and island pace
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Arranmore Island official site: arranmoreisland.ie/
- Arranmore Ferry (Red): arranmoreferry.com
- The Arranmore Ferry (Blue): www.thearranmoreferry.com/
- Local Link Donegal — bus 271 timetable: locallinkdsl.ie/timetables/
- Wikivoyage: Arranmore, revision 5335955 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5335955
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ArranmoreÁrainn Mhór
Chuig an seoladh seo, le do thoil
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy on the island; the nearest consulates and embassies are in Dublin (check your country's listing).
Bring cash: no ATM on the island or at Burtonport.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/arranmore). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.