Nonie's studio is located on the island of Inis Mór which, along with the two islands of Inis Meáin (Inishmaan) and Inis Oírr (Inisheer), make up the Aran Islands. These islands are located on the west coast of Ireland near Galway. Inis Mór can be reached by a regular ferry service which departs from Rossaveal in Connemara, or by an air service operated by Aer Arann from Inverin in County Galway.

Inis Mór is known for its barren landscape, prehistoric monuments and forts, as well as for its many early Christian ruins. Of its ancient monuments, the largest are Dún Aengus (Dún Aonghasa) and the Black Fort (Dún Dúchathair) located on the west side of the island perched atop spectacular 300 foot (100 meter) cliffs that drop straight down into the sea. These forts, which date from the Celtic Iron Age, were protected from enemies approaching from the east by numerous up-turned stones known as cheveaux-de-frise whose purpose it was to impede wheeled carts.