Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
– situated near Newmarket-on-Fergus, Bunratty Castle and
Folk Park helps re-create ancient life in a festival of Irish
music, dancing and song as medieval banquets are held. The park
comprises a number of traders such as blacksmiths and shopkeepers,
each plying their trade using traditional methods. Visitors are
encouraged to sample the food and assist in the cooking as a means
of understanding life in 17th century Ireland.
Cliffs of Moher
Cliffs of Moher – located near
Liscannor, the majestic Cliffs of Moher is one of Ireland’s
most famous and beautiful tourist attractions. Five miles of dramatic
cliff tops offer superb views, while its sheer cliff-face, comprising
black shale and sandstone, plunge some 700 feet into the raging
Atlantic below. The cliffs are also renowned for their extensive
bird colonies.
Craggaunowen Project – situated
in mid Clare near the village of Quin, the exceptionally interesting
Craggaunowen Project recalls life in the county from the Bronze
Age to the Middle Ages and also the role of crannóg construction
in lake based communities in early Ireland.
Cratloe Woods – located close
to Limerick, Cratloe Woods offers a unique opportunity to see
the last inhabited example of an Irish longhouse, a type of building
that has almost disappeared. The 17th century house belongs to
a descendent of Brian Boru and contains family portraits, an array
of other works of art and a collection of antique farm machinery.
Doolin Village – located just
a few miles from the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin is a beautiful small
fishing village, which today is famous as a place of pilgrimage
for traditional music lovers. Thousands of visitors gather each
year to sample the region’s heritage of song, dance, and
instrumental music.
Dysert O’Dea – situated
on the route from Ennis to Corofin, this is the site of the monastic
settlement founded by St. Tola in the 7th century and the scene
of a famous battle in 1318, when the O’Brien clan vanquished
the de Clares of Bunratty, thereby preventing an Anglo-Norman
takeover of the county.
Ennis Friary – situated in
the thriving market town of Ennis, which straddles the River Fergus,
this mediaeval monastery was founded in 1242 by the O’Brien
clan, kings of Thomond. Now in ruins, the friary contains a number
of interesting sculptures and decorated tombs.
Inchiquin Castle – located
near Corofin and set on the northern shores of Lough Inchiquin,
the castle was built in the 15th century. Though in ruins, part
of the old castle tower can still be seen and a portion of the
banqueting hall remains intact.
Knappogue Castle
Knappogue Castle – located near
the town of Ennis, just two miles east of Quin Village, Knappogue
Castle dates back to 1467 and has been painstakingly restored
and transformed into a splendid venue for mediaeval banquets and
Irish historical evenings.
Moghane Hill-Fort – set in
the grounds of Dromoland Castle is one of the most extensive hill-forts
in Ireland, with several acres encompassed with its walls. Dating
back to 500 BC, this prehistoric village has fortifications that
are up to 23 feet thick in places. A number of Bronze Age adornments
were found in March 1854 and are on display at the Royal Irish
Academy.
O’Connell Monument – located
in Ennis Town, the monument stands as an appropriate tribute to
the "Liberator", Daniel O’Connell, who despite
the ban on Catholic MP’s, was returned by such a huge majority
by the people of Clare, that it was impossible to prevent him
from taking his seat in the House of Commons.
Quin Village – lying to the
east of Ennis, Quin is an old-world village with a well-preserved
Franciscan friary, founded in 1433. Monks continued to live here
up to the 19th century. Beside the friary is the 13th century
church of St. Finnéan.
The Burren – a natural wonder
famed across the world for its beauty, the Burren is a unique
array of flora, fauna, butterflies and rock. The Burren Display
Centre at Kilfenora explains how the Burren was formed and helps
identify the fauna that you will encounter.
