Going with the flow at yoga retreat on beautiful Inis Mór
The gods were smiling on us. After days of rain, as we set off from Doolin to Inis Mór, the sun was glistening on the water and the ferry was skimming the waves. Ideal conditions for the beginning of our long-anticipated weekend break with Retreat Yourself, a dynamic duo consisting of yoga teacher Caroline Rouine O’Connor and chef Tanya Ranalow, who have a happy knack of making the world seem a better place.
For our own family group of five they certainly do – this was our fourth year taking part in the event on the largest of the three Aran islands, joining another 15 participants on Doolin Pier.
Tanya and Caroline are based in Clare – hence the Doolin departure – and Inis Mór has been a favourite location since they started holding these retreats, post-Covid.
Their partnership arose from a happy meeting during the pandemic. Caroline, who was born in Clare and had lived in New York for 23 years, returned home in March 2020 for a family wedding, along with her husband Sammy and their two young children. It was meant to be a brief visit but then they all got Covid. While they were recovering, travel restrictions were introduced on both sides of the Atlantic and they opted to stay in Ireland temporarily, or so they thought back then.
Caroline had a successful yoga studio in New York while Belfast-born Sammy also had his own business and they were happily settled there. But, as Covid restrictions continued, they lost their businesses and opted to stay in Clare, close to Caroline's family.
New York’s loss was Ireland’s gain because she’s a wonderful yoga teacher, vigilant and respectful of students while imbuing her classes with a sense of fun and purpose. Sometimes, the sessions are challenging but she guides people through, knowing when to encourage and when to ease up.
Tanya, meanwhile, worked in the corporate world before changing career in 2012 when she decided to pursue her passion for cookery, focusing on healthy, tasty food. After graduating from Ballymaloe, she set up her own business and also worked for a time in the acclaimed Little Fox in Ennistymon, as well as catering for events in the Cliffs of Moher Retreat Centre. She continues to work as a private chef and hosts regular cookery demonstrations, focusing on healthy, flavoursome food.
They run retreats and pop-ups throughout Clare, Galway and Limerick, while also continuing with their individual projects. For Caroline, these include classes in Ennis, Dromoland and, more recently on retreats given by broadcaster and fitness expert Kathryn Thomas. Two people who had attended one of those a short time previously had been so taken with Caroline’s approach they signed up for Inis Mór.
Although this retreat involves just one overnight stay, it's for two full days. The 9am ferry from Doolin had us at the pier in Cill Rónáin well before 10am, where Noel from Kilmurvey House, where we were staying, was waiting patiently. We piled our bags and yoga mats into his mini-bus, feeling lighter already as we headed towards the bike-hire shed.
This weekend always includes a bike ride – sun or rain – with bicycle hire being included in the cost. And for those who don’t feel like expending their energy on Inis Mór’s hilly terrain, electric bikes are available for a small supplement.
We had a brief journey to our first stop, a coffee stall where we got our caffeine fix accompanied by Tanya’s homemade energy balls. Duly fuelled up, we cycled for a couple of miles before going off-road through fields and to the shoreline where Caroline led us in our first yoga and breathwork session of the day.
This was designed to ground us as she encouraged us to put mainland concerns to one side for our stay. We breathed and balanced and we drank in our surroundings before returning to the bikes for a leisurely, scenic spin that took us to Kilmurvey House where Tanya had gone ahead to prepare lunch. A range of salads, a variety of protein-rich dips, spiced nuts and pickles were laid out buffet-style alongside very moreish focaccia. We ate and chatted before settling into our rooms.
There was an optional swim at Cill Mhuirbhigh in the chilly but refreshing Atlantic before we returned to Kilmurvey House for a two-hour yoga session in a large space that could have been designed as a yoga studio. This was one for all levels, leaving us stretched, relaxed and ready for dinner.
Some yoga retreats don't allow alcohol, which is fine, but not this one. Our earlier bike ride had included a stop at the island’s excellent Spar for wine, which we enjoyed in moderation to accompany lentil dahl and rice with roast spiced cauliflower and chickpeas, and another selection of salads and yogurt, followed by apple crumble with orange-flavoured custard. Homemade biscuits too.
By this stage, some of the group were moving towards the sitting room to chill and chat while others were boarding Noel’s minibus and heading to the pub. More chat and laughter over a couple of drinks before he collected us again two hours later, having us safely home by 10.30pm. Bed beckoned and Sunday dawned.
A light breakfast of fruit and yogurt was followed by a more challenging yoga session that involved standing and balancing. Everyone was close to a wall so that support was there if needed. Again, Caroline demonstrated and watched to ensure everyone was fine. And everyone was, even if some of us were a little out of breath at times. We finished with a relaxation session before returning to the dining room for our final feast. Brunch included eggs, confit tomato, sauteed baby potatoes and more delicious bread. Anyone who thinks healthy eating can’t be enjoyable needs to taste Tanya’s food.
Some people then went for a guided hike to Dún Aonghausa, led by Caroline and Tanya. As we’d been there a few times previously, we set off in to Poll na bPéist (the Wormhole). This breath-taking natural, rectangular pool was made famous by the Red Bull diving competitions and it’s now a destination spot. We watched, hearts in mouths, as people dived into it and then made their way out. Beautiful but dangerous, as Noel – a member of the RNLI – confirmed when he drove us back to Cill Rónáin where we spent our last couple of hours pottering around, sitting on the beach, having coffee and chatting.
Even without sunshine, this short retreat is more restorative than some fortnight-long holidays. But the presence of the sun added an extra boost this year. We were already plotting our 2027 visit as we drove home.
The cost for a double room was €255, a twin room was €295 and a single was €354. That included everything except the ferry – and we had a group rate for that.
There’s another Inis Mór retreat in September. More information on that and other events at https://retreatyourself.ie/.