Clare is a beautifully scenic county
with a coastline in the west of Ireland making it one of Ireland's
larger tourist destinations. Visitors never cease to wonder at the
ever-changing sights that surprise and delight in this county
forming part of the province of Munster, from the majestic Cliffs of
Moher, through to the lunar landscape of the Burren. Clare is home
to Shannon airport and the county town of Ennis is swathed in
history. Other Clare attractions include Bunratty Castle & Folk
Park, and the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival (N.B. the famous
Lisdoonvarna music festival is sadly now defunct, but the pubs of
nearby Doolin keep up the traditional Irish music links of the
area). A large part of the Lough Derg pleasure lake falls within
County Clare also.
Holiday Homes in Clare
Music
County Clare has a strong history of Traditional music. It is home
of the Kilfenora Céilí Band, Stockton's Wing, Sharon Shannon, Eoin
O'Neill, Eamon Cotter, Peadar O'Loughlin, Martin Hayes and legendary
tin-whistlist Micho Russell. Ennis in County Clare is also the
birthplace of Grammy-nominated songtress Maura O'Connell whose
grandmother started a fish market in the Town. The county has many
traditional music festivals and one of the most well known is the
Willie Clancy Summer School, which is held every July in the town of
Miltown Malbay in memory of the renowned uilleann piper, Willie
Clancy. Contemporary music from Co. Clare includes The Walls who are
from Ennistymon (former members of The Stunning). Miltown Malbay is
also home to Oidhreacht an Chlair, an institute for higher education
in all aspects of Irish tradition, history and literature.
West Clare Railway
Percy French, a 19th Century Balladist, wrote his most famous song
Are Ye Right There Michael? lambasting the inefficient rail network
in the country at that time – and particularly, the West Clare
Railway. French recounts his journey by rail between the Clare towns
of Ennis and Kilkee. Unfortunately, bad as the rail network was in
French's day, most of the system was closed starting in the 1940s.
It was dug up and dismantled by successive governments over several
decades in the 1950s, 60s and 70s as it was deemed uneconomic.
Sport
The Clare hurling team has one of the best records of success in the
country in recent years with many cups such as the Liam McCarthy Cup
having been won. There is a strong Gaelic Athletic Association(GAA)
presence in County Clare with the founder of the GAA, Michael Cusack,
having been born in Carron which is situated in the heart of the
Burren in North Clare. Irish rugby internationals from Clare include
Keith Wood, Anthony Foley & Marcus Horan.
Holiday Homes County Clare, Ireland
John Philip Holland (1840-1914) - Inventor of the Submarine
Born in Liscannor, County Clare. He studied engineering and then in
the late 1860s began working on a design for a vessel that would
travel underwater under its own power. He developed some of the
first military submarines used by the US navy after emigrating to
the USA in 1873. His first successful submarine launch - the Fenian
Ram - was made in 1881. He was supported financially in its
development by the Irish-American republican Fenian movement, who
hoped to be able to use it against England. In 1893 he built the
Holland, a 74-tonne and 56 ft-long vessel which was later bought by
the US navy. He built submarines for several navies after 1895, but
his company became embroiled in litigation (with financial backers)
and consequently he died in poverty. He introduced many of the
innovations that would later be incorporated in military submarines.
Holiday
Cottages in Clare
Lahinch Beach
Sea-front of Lahinch town, one of the very finest beaches in all of
the west of Ireland. Sand is firm, no rocks/gravel, faces the
Atlantic so good waves, no hidden dangers. Car-parking right at the
beach can be limited (it is a pay-and-display park) and on fine
summer Sundays most of the population of Ennis (20+ miles away)
seems to move there en masse; this day it is to be avoided! There is
an indoor commercially-run pool and tea-room for wet days. The
traffic in the town can be nose-to-tail at times, and the local
championship golf facility is only a few minutes away, for those
afflicted with that particular malady. One of the best beaches
around, and a popular resort since Victorian times. Plenty of places
to eat, catering for a variety of tastes and pockets.
Bishop's Quarter near Ballyvaughan
A long and rather nondescript beach backed by dunes. Part is weedy,
part is stony, part is a mixture of coarse sand and small gravel,
but there are sandy patches. The sand is grey and loose rather than
firm, but being one of the few adequate beaches along this part of
the coast, has a considerable local popularity. The county council
has provided a (very narrow) access road, car park and bridge.
Angling
Nature bas been more than kind to us. We can boast of Lough Derg,
The Shannon River, and The Clare Lakelands - all on our doorstep.
East Clare, on the western shore of Lough Derg has over 40 lakes and
rivers, all surrounded by scenic beauty and peace. Coarse fishing is
the most popular form of angling with good catches of Bream, Roach,
Rudd, Teneh, Pike, Perch and Hybrids. Wild Brown Trout can be found
in Lough Derg and some mountain lakes. The Lower Shannon is famous
for its Salmon beats at Castleconnell. Each town and village has its
own lake or river nearby. No matter where you choose to stay you are
never far from a good fishing venue. Most of the lakes are well
signposted and the signs also give information on the species of
fish found there.
Holiday Cottages in Ireland
Lough Hill Family Pony Trekking
Pony TrekkingSituated in the foothills of the scenic Sliabh Aughty
Mountain with abundance of wild life and fauna, overlooking the
world famous Lough Derg on the River Shannon. Whether it be for the
thrill of pony riding, hill walking, scenery or exceptional
photography shots, a visit to Lough Hill Family Pony Trekk is a
must. This Family Horse & Pony Trekk is unique by its natural scenic
layout, its mountainous and hilly terrain, beautiful valleys and
rough uphill slopes. Lough Hill is a family horse and pony Trekk to
suit the experienced and the beginner. The pleasant memories of
Lough Hill will last in the mind of young and old for life. Bring
your camera it's a must. If you want your pony cared for, groomed
etc. while you're on holidays or at school, contact us.
Clare Golf
Clare GolfClare has 11 golf courses ranging from world renowned
seaside links to parkland courses, providing a variety of challenges
to any handicap. Most are playable all year round. The 18-hole
championship course at Lahinch has the "Klondyke" and the "Dell"
holes, numbered among the most famous in golf. Other 18-hole courses
in the region include, Gort, Dromoland, Bodyke, Ennis, Woodstock,
Shannon, Kilkee, Kilrush, Doonbeg, Galway Bay and Connemara Golf
Club in Oughterard. Clare GolfMountshannon has a 9 hole course, as
does Portumna. The following are par-three golf courses: Rosshill
Golf Course at Roscam, Ennis, Kilrush, Liscannor, Sixmile Bridge,
Lisdoonvarna and Lahinch. PITCH & PUTT There are many pitch & putt
cources in Clare some of which are to be found in Mountshannon,
Killaloe, Kilmurry, Ennis and Shannon.
Holy Island
Holy Island derives its name from 'Inis Cealtra', meaning the
'island of the burial ground; or island of monastic cells'. The
island lies about 1km from the mainland and 2km from Mountshannon.
An historic island with its roots in Christianity and Pre-Christian
times. Pilgrims travelled here for hundreds of years right up to the
mid 19th century. Inis Cealtra is associated with several Irish
saints of the sixth and seventh centuries most notably St Caimin who
founded a monastery here in the 7th century. The Vikings burned the
monastery in 836 and again in 922. In this period the remains of the
Western Roman Empire were being over-run by mostly non-Christian
tribes. But Ireland kept Christianity alive in the outlying parts of
Western Europe. Celtic monks later reintroduced Christianity to
Northern Britain and several other parts of Europe. It remained in
active occupation until the 13th century despite numerous attacks
from Norse raiders and others. The island is also associated with
the famous Irish chieftain Brian Boru. His brother was abbot here
and Brian is said to have built one of the churches on the island.
The 50-acre island boasts the remains of no less than 5 churches,
early monastic cells, a cemetery, (not one of the 80 or so marked
graves is later than 12th century), In one of the graves lie the
remains of 10 men, who were probably butchered together by the
Norsemen. The dominant feature on the island is an 80-foot tall
round tower. You can walk among the ruins of Churches, Round Tower
and Crosses dated before 1000AD. Romanesque Arches from the 12th
century can also be seen. It continued as a place of pilgrimage up
until fairly recently and is still very much revered as a holy place
by people of the locality. Among its other attractions are, bullaun
stones, grave slabs, holy well and bargaining stones.
Towns and Villages
This large county has a resident population of 111,000 but vast
areas are unspoilt and relatively undeveloped. Other larger towns of
interest in Clare include Milltown Malbay, Lahinch, Ennistymon,
Kilkee and Kilrush, but don’t rule out visits to Ardnacrusha,
Ballyvaughan, Corrofin, Cratloe, Doonbeg, Feakle, Kilfenora,
Kilkishen, Killaloe, Kilmihil, Liscannor, Newmarket-on-Fergus,
O'Briensbridge-Montpelier, Quilty, Quin, Scarriff, Sixmilebridge,
Tulla, or Whitegate.
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Clare Holiday Homes