Places To Go / Things To Do

The beautiful seaside resort of Lahinch is only a few minutes walk away, an ideal centre for family holidays, with the Seaworld Pool and Aquarium providing hours of indoor entertainment and fun. The fine beach is noted as a surfer's paradise, with Lahinch School of Surfing on hand to get beginners started! Locally, there are two championship golf courses, world renowned and played on by a host of stars. For those who would prefer to relax, there are plenty of bars in which to enjoy a traditional pint of Guinness.

Lahinch is an ideal base from which to explore North Clare, an area of outstanding unspoilt natural beauty, wedged between the River Shannon and the thundering Atlantic. Liscannor is a quaint fishing village, a hive of music and merriment.

The magnificent, majestic Cliffs of Moher, which rise to over 700 feet in places, are spectacular, especially when seen at sunset. They may be viewed from below by boat, or from above at the visitor centre, which is open all year round and includes a craft shop offering a range of locally produced handcrafted products.

To the north of Lahinch lies the Burren with its stunningly beautiful, rugged, limestone landscape, epitomised by the ancient Poul na Brone. There is an interpretative centre for the Burren in Kilfenora, a village famed for traditional music and set-dancing.

The Ailwee Caves, Ballyvaughan are well worth a visit. Guided tours allow you to observe beautiful limestone caverns, bridged chasms, underground waterfalls, strange mineral formations and the hibernation chambers of brown bears, extinct in Ireland for centuries.

Doolin, a small fishing village, some 3km from the Cliffs of Moher, is a place of great beauty and tranquillity, a haven for music lovers. The village, world famous for its wealth of Irish folk music and festivals, is also renowned as a good location for angling. From Doolin pier there are boats to bring vistors to the Aran Islands, Inismore, Inismann and Inisheer. The three islands, which are all serviced by the Doolin ferries, are steeped in Irish culture and an excursion to the them is like a journey back in time.

Milltown Malbay, home of the Willy Clancy festival and host to the "Darlin Girl of Clare", is only a few short miles down te road that also takes you to Spanish Point, with its beautiful beaches.

The spa town of Lisdoonvarna is famed for its sulphur, iron and magnesia waters which may be sampled at the Spa Wells. The town is also noted for its annual matchmaking festival and "the craic". Visit the Burren Smokehouse to see the fish smoking process or to buy gourmet foods, luxury goods and handcrafted products.

Travel East to the medieval town of Ennis and while there take some time out from shopping to explore Quin Abbey. Ennis, on the banks of the River Fergus, is the capital of Clare, with much visitor appeal. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are other highlights of the east. The castle is the most complete and authentic medieval castle in Ireland and boasts one of the finest collections of 14th-17th century material in these islands. The castle is open to visitors daily during the year, with the opportunity to indulge in a medieval banquet, organized by Shannon Development Company. The folk park features a complete reconstruction of a 19th century village street, including craft shops, general stores and post office. Traditional crafts of an earlier age may be observed in action such as basket weaving, farriery, candle making and the home baking of bread.

Travel South to Kilrush and Kilkee where one can visit Scattery Island one of the oldest monastic settlements in this country. For the adventure enthusiasts, take time in the Kilrush Creek Marina or avail of the opportunity to go dolphin watching.