Ireland Aran Island Stone Walls Panorama 2 Stock Image

A lacework of ancient stone walls (1,600 km or 1,000 mi in all) enfolds all three islands to contain local livestock. The fields are tiny due to scale of labour - essentially you could only reclaim a small area at a time. These walls would also offer protection from the wind, reducing the likelihood of the soil being blown away. Smaller fields, more walls, greater protection. This is likely to at least part explain the plethora of small fields around the villages and the eastern coastal strip.