Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [298]
An interesting, scenic lakeside drive from Nenagh is the 24km R494 that winds around to Killaloe and Ballina.
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County Clare
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ENNIS & AROUND
ENNIS
AROUND ENNIS
EASTERN & SOUTHEASTERN CLARE
SHANNON AIRPORT
BUNRATTY
KILLALOE & BALLINA
KILLALOE TO MOUNTSHANNON
MOUNTSHANNON & AROUND
NORTH TO GALWAY
SOUTHWESTERN & WESTERN CLARE
KILRUSH
SCATTERY ISLAND
KILKEE
KILKEE TO LOOP HEAD
KILKEE TO ENNISTYMON
ENNISTYMON
LISCANNOR & AROUND
HAG’S HEAD
CLIFFS OF MOHER
THE BURREN
DOOLIN
LISDOONVARNA
FANORE
BLACK HEAD
BALLYVAUGHAN & AROUND
CENTRAL BURREN
KILFENORA
COROFIN & AROUND
NORTHERN BURREN
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Clare is one of Ireland’s sweetest spots. It combines the stunning natural beauty of its long and meandering coastline with unique windswept landscapes and a year’s worth of dollops of Irish culture.
Rugged nature and the timeless ocean meet on the county’s coast. The Atlantic relentlessly pounds year-round, eroding the rocks into fantastic landscapes, and forming sheer cliffs like those at the iconic Cliffs of Moher, strange little islands like those off lone Loop Head and craggy bluffs like those found in Fenore. There are even stretches of beach where surfers have found new world hotspots for riding the (chilly) waves. Rocks are a theme throughout Clare. The Burren, an ancient region of tortured stone and alien vistas, stretches down to the coast and right out to the Aran Islands.
But if the land is hard, Clare’s soul is not. There’s a song in every heart here, as traditional Irish culture and music flourish. And it’s not just a show for tourists, either. In little villages like Miltown Malbay, Ennistymon and Kilfenora you’ll find pubs where sessions of trad music and evening dancing happen throughout the year. Doolin, visitor-mad and all the rage, effortlessly hosts scores from around the world. The main town of Ennis has more traditional pubs than you could visit in a week.
Wandering the many back lanes of Clare or hiking its awesome landscapes then sitting down to a warm bowl of seafood chowder in a peat-fire-heated pub isn’t a cliché. Here, it’s a way of life.
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HIGHLIGHTS
The Real Deal Swoon to the music in the uncompromised traditional pubs of Kilfenora, Lisdoonvarna and Corofin
Pounding Sand Lose yourself on the vast sweep of beach at White Strand
Rural Escape Delight in the amazing drives, walks and villages of Loop Head
Barren Burren Find lost dolmens and abandoned abbeys among the rocky expanse of the Burren at Carron
Village Idyll Become part of the scene in the artful, tuneful town of Ennistymon
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POPULATION: 106,000
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AREA: 3147 SQ KM
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ENNIS & AROUND
ENNIS
pop 19,000
Ennis (Inis) is the busy commercial centre of Clare. It lies on the banks of the smallish River Fergus, which runs east, then south into the Shannon Estuary.
It’s the place to stay if you want a bit of urban flair; from Ennis, you can reach any part of Clare in under two hours. Short on sights, the town’s strengths are its food, lodging and traditional entertainment. The town centre, with its narrow, pedestrian-friendly streets, is home to large stores.
History
The town’s medieval origins are indicated by its irregular, narrow streets. Its most important historical site is Ennis Friary, founded in the 13th century by the O’Briens, kings of Thomond, who also built a castle here in the 13th century. Much of the wooden town was destroyed by fire in 1249 and again in 1306, when it was razed by one of the O’Briens.
Orientation
The old town centre is on the Square, and the principal streets of O’Connell St, High St (becoming Parnell St), Bank Pl and Abbey