Clare Guide Quin Abbey between Ennis and Sixmilebridge latest update February 2008 Clare has some of the best known places and sites in Ireland. These include Doolin with its music and 200m sheer Cliffs of Moher. There's a lot more here too. The limestone pavement of the Burren and the lakes and hills of east Clare for starters. It doesn't have high mountains and it may not be the most impressive county from a car window, but this is a great county for walkers and cyclists to ramble through with an incredible variety of scenery. No wonder then that it has plenty of hostels too! North by the Coast The most popular tourist route through the county is up the coast as part of a west coast of Ireland route. There is nothing much where the ferry from Tarbet reaches Killimer. The N67 passes Moneypoint Powerstation on it way to Kilrush. This solid small town looks like it belongs in Ulster: it is definitely a planters town. There are several well preserved traditional bars. Kilrush Creek Adventure Centre offers water and land sports . There arev about 100 Dolphins in the Shannons Estuary. There is The Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Centre and Boat trips to see the dolphins with Discover Dolphins. From nearby Cappa village Scattery Island Ferries 065 905 1237 run boats to Scattery Island, an oasis of quiet in the Shannon Estuary with the remains of an early christian settlement. Kilkee on the western coast is a classic little resort. After decades of quiet it is livening up and has a 4 screen cinema. Oceanlife Ireland hires out dving gear to see the excellent local underwater scenery.The next 25km north are a rare stretch of the west coast that has escaped much of the development of the last 30 years. Enjoy the beach at White Strand and the rest of this unspoiled coast before the developers find it. The road divides before Spanish Point, the coast road heading around the overdeveloped Point, the main road heading through tidy Miltown Malbay. A trim one street town. Every July it heaves with the throng of the Willie Clancy Irish Music Festival. Lahinch is the gateway to the Burren area, although the rock doesn't start poking through the turf for a while yet. This holiday village has become a centre for surfers. 15 years ago Liscannor was one street of houses. Now a whole little holiday town has sprung up. The road now climbs towards the Cliffs of Moher. Near the base of a huge classical column is St Brigid's Well, as example of continuing religious tradition. The well itself is at the end of a covered grotto full of pictures and prayers left by the faithful (see above). The Cliffs of Moher are one of the classic images of Ireland. Go to the Visitor's Centre for the way to the classic view of the 200m high cliffs. Or take your time to walk around the coast southwards from here to see them from other angles (such as that on the homepage of this site). After one classic place comes another: Doolin, which is actually several tiny villages strung together. We are now in the Burren proper amongst stoney fields. Doolin sells itself as the Capital of Irish Music. It isn't. But it does have three bars where you can hear music any night of the year: O'Connors in Fisherstreet and McGann's (which has the cheapest food) and MacDiamrmada's in Roadford. When the sun shines it is an idyllic spot by the sea. At it's south end is the tiny one street seaside village of Fisherstreet with several tourist shops. From here the almost identically named Doolin Ferries 065 707 4455 and Doolin Ferry 065 707 5555 have boats to all 3 Aran Islands.The route north on the R479 then R 477 is starkly beautiful. Nowhere more so that at Fanore where there is a beach on one side of the road and the rocky Burren hills on the other. Ballyvaughan is genteel little village that considers itself a bit too good for budget tourists. Kinvarra is a real find, an unspolt seaside village with a delightful harbour that is home to the Galway hookers. Steady on, they're a type of sailing boat. Just east of the town is Dunguaire Castle, open with dispays on its history inside. Just before the town is the sleepy low lying Doorus peninsular. Doorus Hostel must be mentioned - it's the house where WM Yeats, Lady Augustus Gregory, Douglas Hyde & Co dreamed up the idea of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. After Kinvarra the road heads north to Join the N18 to Oranmore and Galway City The Burren Area The actual Burren plateau is about 25km from east to west and 15 km wide from north to south but the Burren area incudes a much larger region that shares its limestone strata. This includes pretty much the whole area north of the N85 from Ennis to Enistymon and west of the N18 road from Ennis to Galway through Gort including part of South Galway. Heading northwest from Ennis there is lovely limestone hill country with drystone walled fields which leads to higher bogland before the limestone plateau itself. Due north of Ennis is a rocky lowland with a large number of lakes. Some called turloughs fill after heavy rain and then dissappear in dry weather. The High Burren is a beautiful stark landscape but not as barren as you may be expecting. In many parts every nook and cranny bursts with vegetation with a unique mix of mediteranean and alpine plants. There are also small farms. The soil may be shallow, but the climate is mild. This was a highly populated area in prehistoric times and remains dot the landscape. Poulabrone Tomb on the R480 is a well visited site. To explore the area properly buy Tim Robinson's brilliant hand drawn map of the area published by Folding Landscapes and onsale at any local tourist shop. As regards town's there are only two of any size, both around 1000 inhabitants. Ennistymon is a lovely unspoiled traditional country town that appears to be caught in the late 19th century. It has the sort of traditional shops that have died out elsewhere and interesting new ones opened by people who have fallen for the town's charms. A succession of bars on Main Street have traditional music. Just head out of an evening and keep your ears open. Hidden behind the main street are the Ennistymon Falls where the River Cullenagh cascades over the bare rock. Lisdoonvana is a victorian spa town which hosts the annual September Matchmaking Festival. Batchelor farmers and anyone else fancying a laugh come for a month of drinking and dancing. For some reason not many women join in. You can still take the waters here at Spa Wells Health Centre 065 74023. Tiny Kilfenora punches above its weight with a lively trad music scene (rated well above Doolin locally) Linnane's has music most night in summer and Vaughan's has set dancing as well. There is a trad music festival in October. Why not visit one of Ireland's few hostels dedicated to music: The Boghill Centre 2km from town, the owners will know the best places to go to. The Burren Display Centre introduces you to the geography and flaura of the area. Next door is Kilfenora Cathedral with several High Crosses. The country town of Gort is centre for an interesting area to the east of the Burren. It is still in the lakeland with large Lough Cutra to the south leading into hill country. To the west is the huge Round Tower at Kilmacduagh - 35m high, with the ruins of a cathedral at its base. To the North of the town are sites relating to the Irish Literary Revival - see also Doorus Hostel in the 'North by the Coast' section. Coole House was the home of Lady Gregory and meeting place for a circle including Yeats, Shaw and Synge. It was pulled down in 1941 but the surrounding parkland remains. A mile south west is Coole Lough which inspired Yeats poem 'The Wild Swans of Coole'. Years himself spent the tumultous 1920s at Thoor Ballylee, a tower castle and cottage he restored himself. Open to public. There is an excellent site on the Burren www.burrenbeo.com go to the Site Map on it to access many of the pages. East Clare Limerick City spills over the county boundary and the fast N18 passes Shannon Airport on the way to Ennis. A backroad out of Limerick leads to lovely old centre of Cratloe village in woods with its beautiful simple church. The stocky tower of well restored Bunratty Castle overlooks the main road. You can visit it and Bunratty Folk Park to see a reconstructed irish village. Shannon Airport hides off the road, as does the town that has grown up next to it. Hostellers touching down here should head for Ennis or with own transport to nearby Sixmilebridge. The best of East Clare is away from the main road. Amongst the lakeland east of Ennis is one of the best reconstructions of ancient Ireland: the Craggaunowen Project. Nearer Ennis are the lovely ruins of Quin Abbey and Knappogue Castle, if you fancy visiting a quieter restored castle than Bunratty. Considerable hills rise closer to the Shannon with a succession of pretty villages and small towns on or near its banks. Killaloe/Ballina is at the south end of Lough Derg. Killaloe Cathedral is a fine Church of Ireland place. There are then fine views by the Shannon to Scarriff, centre for all things alternative in east Clare and pretty Georgian Mountshannon. Many of the best views over the water are down little side lanes leading to piers by the lake. You can follow the River Graney up from Scarriff through a beautiful valley to Lough Graney between wooden hills. Ennis Ennis is a pleasant, bustling town, the medieval maze of streets at its heart struggles to deal with modern traffic. Its principal interest for the holidaymaker is its vibrant music scene. Cruises Pub and Restaurant, Abbey Street, has nightly sessions. Brandon's Bar, O'Connell Street has a mean Trad session on monday nights and a variety of music on other nights. MacBeals, Cornmarket Street has Jazz, Blues and a weekend Night Club. Outer Limits, Abbey Street is the local club. Go to Cois na hAbhna, Gort Road, to dance at its wednesday evening ceili. During the day you can visit the ruins of 13th century Ennis Friary on Abbey Street and the Clare Museum on Arthur's Row, with 500 years of local history.Glor Friar's Walk, is the local cultural/arts centre and Cois na Habhana 065 682 09961.5km north of town has plenty of traditional music and dancing There are 9 trains a day to Limerick with connecting service to Dublin from the station. Bus services from the same location in all directions South West Clare The coast of South West Clare has already been descibed in North by the Coast above. Inland there are barren low hills and lakes. This area has a quiet beauty. Its not for people who have two weeks to see the whole of Ireland but if you have some time it is worth exploring.
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