Visiting the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland

Cliffs Rank Among Top Attractions in County Clare

Apr 7, 2009 Tina Costanza

To visit the Cliffs of Moher is to stand on the edge of Ireland and be awed by their magnificence.

The Cliffs of Moher, just north of the town of Lahinch in Co. Clare in the west of Ireland, are a natural wonder. Cliffs that appear to overlap with one another when viewing them near the visitors’ centre rise 214 metres from the Atlantic Ocean at their highest point, and stretch over an 8-kilometre area.

What to See at the Cliffs of Moher

The star of a visit to the Cliffs of Moher are the cliffs themselves. Rugged, majestic and topped with greenery, they consist of beds of shale and sandstone, punctuated with ledges and crevices. Visitors can hear the Atlantic crush into the cliffs below and smell air tinged with salt.

A variety of wildlife calls the cliffs home. Birds make up the majority of the animal population, with about 30,000 birds from 29 species, according to Wikipedia. Gulls, hawks, ravens and Atlantic puffins can be found among them.

In addition to wildlife, other sights at the cliffs include the majestic expanse of Atlantic Ocean, the Aran Islands and Galway Bay just to the northwest, and also in a northerly direction are the Twelve Bens (or Twelve Pins) mountains and Maum Turk mountains in the Connemara area of Ireland. To the south, visitors may be able to spot the Loop Head peninsula.

O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Moher

Looking north from the visitors’ centre is O’Brien’s Tower, which marks the highest point of the cliffs. Landlord Sir Cornelius O’Brien, a descendant of Ireland’s High King Brian Boru, is responsible for putting the tower there. He built it in 1835, as an observation tower for the tourists who came to see the cliffs, even back then.

The tower, which is built of grey stones and resembles a mini, medieval castle, still welcomes visitors today. From it, visitors can spot Loop Head peninsula and the mountains of the Connemara on a clear day. Set atop the cliffs, from a distance, the tower looks like a mere thimble on the landscape.

Preparing for a Visit to the Cliffs of Moher

Obviously, the Cliffs of Moher are outdoors, so visitors should arrive dressed for windy and rapidly changeable weather. Shoes that are comfortable to walk in may benefit visitors who wish to explore the path along the cliffs and walk up to O’Brien’s Tower or wander around the displays at the visitors’ centre.

The name of the visitors’ centre at the site is Atlantic Edge, and it houses exhibits designed to appeal to kids and adults alike. There is a fee to visit the centre, and the cost and hours of operation are available online.

The striking natural beauty of the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare, Ireland, have drawn visitors for years, as evidenced by Sir Cornelius O’Brien’s building of O’Brien’s Tower for travellers to the area. Wildlife can be found in the area, too, making this edge of Ireland a nature lover’s paradise.

The copyright of the article Visiting the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland in U.K./Ireland Travel is owned by Tina Costanza. Permission to republish Visiting the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

The Cliffs of Moher