Clare can best be explored with a rental car and a map of historical sites, which you can get from any tourist office or car rental agency.
Drive through the stony Burren out to the cliffs and cove of Kilkee, stopping by the ancient tombs, forts, and colorful towns sprinkled along the way.
Sights to See in the Burren
The Burren is the name of the hauntingly desolate limestone rock landscape that stretches south of Galway Bay along the western coast of Ireland. The area was home to Neolithic tribes and is littered with prehistoric tombs, including the famous Poulnabrone Dolmen, a table-like arrangement of stone slabs dating from the 4th millennium B.C. As with most of these ancient ruins, the area is only marked with a few small signs and roped off by a low-lying cord.
Stop by Carron Church, just south of the Poulnabrone Dolmen, an ancient chapel whose crumbling stone walls look down gracefully over the valley below. The vertical stones placed in a line outside the confines of the graveyard function as burial markers for Irishmen killed in an unsuccessful rebellion in the 18th century, whose families were forbidden to bury them in the consecrated ground.
The Cliffs of Moher
One of the most famous tourist destinations in this county is the Cliffs of Moher, a five-mile line of cliffs stretching down the coast, marked by the vantage point of O’Brien’s tower. These vertical stone cliffs reach to a frighteningly high 700 feet and afford excellent views of Atlantic waves crashing at the base of the cliffs, propelled forward by torrential winds. Though safety measures are still fairly lax here, a high number of suicides and accidental deaths have caused more fencing to be put up along the edge. Show up at early to avoid crowds of tourists and see the cliffs at sunrise.
Other Coastal Views
For other spectacular cliff views that might be more deserted than the Cliffs of Moher, Kilkee and Loop Head at the southwestern tip of County Clare are both excellent. Though, if you have the time, just keep driving along the coast and stop wherever you like best. Kilkee is also home to a protected sand cove, multiple rock-enclosed pools, and opportunities for scuba diving.
Cities in Clare
At a population of 24,000, Ennis is the county’s largest town, made of narrow roads, charmingly colorful buildings, and of course many pubs. Fifteen minutes south is Shannon International Airport, one of Ireland’s main airports and home to the budget airline RyanAir, which offers very low prices for flights all over Europe.
Bunratty Castle - A Restored Medieval Castle
Just next door to Shannon, Bunratty Castle is a restored 15th century castle with an adjacent folk park where visitors can see the reconstructed details of a historical Irish town, down to the thatched cottage roofs and peat fires. You can have a banquet in the castle, accompanied by servers in medieval garb and songs and stories of legends past.
Ireland Travel Tips/Logistics
- Make sure the hostels you book have parking for your rental car.
- Bring a raincoat or an umbrella, as Clare, like all of Ireland, is subject to fast and frequent changes in weather.
- Buying food at grocery stores is a good idea, as restaurants in small towns close early and most hostels have kitchens.
- The torrential wind was no joke - it is extremely windy along the coast, making it fairly cold even in summer. Dress accordingly.
Continue north to County Galway
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