Corofin
Lake Inchiquin Corofin
COROFIN THE HEART OF THE BURREN
Corofin and its Surroundings:
Corofin is located in Co Clare, 11 kms
from Ennis and 27 kms from Shannon Airport, 48 kms from Limerick
and Galway. Corofin is a small, friendly village with much to
offer the visiting tourist. As well as having many scenic areas
close at hand it has many lively pubs which host regular Irish
music sessions.
Corofin has an excellent selection of dining establishments
including the up-market "Restaurant Le Catelinais",
winner of several awards and also some excellent Pub-Restaurants.
This small village has an atmosphere that allows the tourist, not
only the opportunity to experience Irish culture first hand, but
also the chance to talk and mix with local people.
Places of Interest:
Clare Heritage and Genealogical Centre, founded by Naoise
Cleary was the first of its kind in Ireland The centre houses the
most comprehensive resarch material, held at any one location to
enable persons with Clare roots to trace their ancestry.
The Museum tells the story of 19th Century Ireland, a fascinating
window on the past.
A short distance from the village is a well know visitors' centre
at Dysert O’Dea. Here a 15th century round tower and castle
has been restored to accommodate a museum and tea rooms.
Fishing:
However, it is perhaps for its lakes and rivers that Corofin is
best know. It is truly an “Angler’s Paradise”,
popular with both locals and visitors alike. It is the coarse
angling centre for the River Fergus catchment which includes the
River Fergus and about 12 lakes, including Lough Atedaun,
Ballycullinan, Lough George and many others. This is a relatively
new coarse angling area and has produced the Irish record Tench.
In addition, they have produced many Rudd, Tench, Hybrids, Eels
and Bream in recent years. These rich limestone waters have the
capacity to produce good quality Pike fishing also. Some of these
fisheries are easily accessible with good facilities while some
are poor and only accessible by boat. Boat hire is readily
available from "Lucy Burke" Main Street, Corofin, and
through local service providers. Development work is currently
being undertaken on an on going basis to improve access and
facilities in a number of locations in the catchment by the
Shannon Regional Fisheries Board.
Lough Inchiquin (2 kms from
Corofin):
This is a real limestone show piece, 118 hectares of wild trout
fishing Average range between 3/4 lb to 4 lb.
Walking and Hiking:
The countryside around Corofin is known as the Burren. Covering
an area of 160 sq. km.,the Burren is like no other place in
Ireland. There are no bogs and very few pastures. Instead you get
a huge pavement of limestone intermingled with an amazing and
unusual array of wild flowers, some of which are not found any
where else in Europe. Tourists are free to explore this
archeologically rich landscape themselves or they can avail of
the tour excursions. The tours take in all aspects of the Burren
landscape: the unique flora and fauna of the region, its ancient
monuments and local history and folklore.
Surrounding area:
Corofin is very conveniently located for exploring some of
Ireland’s most famous tourist sights.
Among the most popular are:
Lahinch: Traditionally, one of Ireland’s
most popular seaside resorts Lahinch is famous not only for its
long golden strand but also for its internationally renowned golf
course.
The Cliffs of Moher: Perhaps Ireland’s best
know tourist destination.The Cliffs of Moher are quite
spectacular. Just a few Km.from Corofin, these cliffs rise in
places to over 215 meters and stretch for almost 8km. Visitors
can enjoy breathtaking views of the Clare coastline, the Aran
Islands, and Mountains as far apart as Kerry and Connemara.
The Aran Islands: These
stunningly beautiful islands lie a few miles off the Clare coast
and are seen as one of the last out posts of Gaelic civilisation.
Here the people still speak Irish as their first language. As
well as enjoying the beautiful unspoilt beaches visitors can even
see some examples of traditional thatched cottages.
Craggaunowen and Bunratty: Both of these
painstakingly restored castles offer students an invaluable
insight into Ireland’s history. Their interactive approach
to history allows the visitors not only to see but also
experience how people lived in ancient times.
Gort: 20km to the east of Corofin is the small
town of Gort which holds the famous Coole Park. This park was the
former haunt of Lady Gregory, G.B.S, W.B.Yeats and many more -
surely "A Stroll Back In Time".
Galway: The fastest growing city in Europe has a
lot to offer the visitor. Its many interesting shops and
amenities coupled with a very strong cultural tradition make
Galway a young, exciting and vibrant city.