a group of small islands off the coast of Galway in Ireland, constituting the barony of Arran. They are sometimes called South Arran, to distinguish them from the island of Arranmore or North Arran, in the county of Donegal. The three principal islands of the group are Arranmore or Inishmore, Inishmain, and Inishere. On the first is a lighthouse exhibiting a bright revolving light, 498 feet above high-water mark. Lat. 53. 7. 38. N. Long. 9. 42. 22. W. The bay of Killany, to the N. of the village of that name, is the principal harbour in the group. The inhabitants of these islands, amounting in 1851 to 3333, are employed in fishing and agriculture, and are much behind in education and improvement. The area of the whole group is 11,257 acres.

The Arran islands abound in antiquities and religious remains, and are said to have contained at one time no less than 20 churches and monastic establishments. Most of these were in the island of Inishmore, called by the natives the Island of the Saints. The circular fort of Dun-Angus, built of uncemented stones on a cliff overhanging the sea, is the most striking of these ancient remains. The holy wells, altars, groves, &c., are still visited by numbers of enthusiastic devotees.