For a glimpse into the harsh realities of monastic life in Early Christian Ireland, pay a visit to this dry-stone beehive hut called Clochán na Carraige on the largest of Ireland‘s three Aran Islands, Inishmor. Stone igloos like this one are dotted across the west coastal islands of Ireland. It’s believed they were dwellings for medieval monks seeking solitude and austerity for divine connection. Although it’s also rumoured that desperate local women with fertility issues would spend a night in a hut to pray for conception. If only the stones could talk. Inishmor is a ferry-ride from Galway or Doolin. National Geographic says Aran’s enduring authenticity in the modern world is ‘nothing short of miraculous’.