Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [310]
Bourke’s the Galley ( 061-927 214; Main St, Mountshannon; snacks €2-10; 9am-5pm) The sign at this sparkling cafe across from the church reads: Be warm, be welcome, be at home. Of course, home never had such cupcakes. Attached to a deli, Bourke’s offers rich coffees, alluring baked goods and fresh light meals.
An Cupán Caifé ( 061-927 275; Main St; meals €8-18; 6-9.30pm Wed-Sun, plus Sun 11am-3pm) This cafe-restaurant has a Continental atmosphere and a daily menu of steaks and lake trout plus a few pastas. Presentation is slightly formal and the specials are a draw.
Getting There & Away
Driving (or swimming) is your best way to reach Mountshannon. Bus Éireann ( 061-313 333) runs one bus here each Saturday from Limerick.
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NORTH TO GALWAY
North of Mountshannon, the R352 follows Lough Derg to Portumna in Galway. It’s just one of several not-quite-two-lane country roads that weave through the fertile landscapes under arching trees. Another is the R461 from Scarriff, which heads right to the heart of the Burren.
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SOUTHWESTERN & WESTERN CLARE
One look at the map and you can see that Loop Head on Clare’s southwestern tip is giving the finger to the Atlantic. OK, it’s a stubby finger, but still it’s emblematic of the never-ceasing titanic struggle between land and sea along this stretch of Irish coast.
The soaring cliffs south of the beach resort of Kilkee to Loop Head are both striking and underappreciated by many visitors. Most save their energies for the much-visited Cliffs of Moher. Marching in geologic lockstep, the formations are undeniably stunning, although in summer you will be marching in lockstep with hordes of other visitors.
South of the cliffs to Kilkee are the low-key beach towns of Lahinch, Miltown Malbay and Doonbeg. No part of this coast is remotely tropical, but there’s a stark windblown beauty that stretches to the horizon. Many a hapless survivor of the Spanish Armada washed ashore here 400 years ago. Tales of their progeny still spice local gossip.
Your best days here may be spent on the smallest roads you can find. Make your own discoveries, whether it’s a stretch of lonely beach or something more settled, like the charming heritage town of Ennistymon.
Getting There & Away
BOAT
Shannon Ferry Limited ( 065-905 3124; www.shannonferries.com; one way/return bicycle & foot passengers €5/7, motorcycles €9/14, cars €18/28; 9am-9pm Jun-Aug, 9am-7pm Sep-May) runs a half-hourly ferry between Tarbert in County Kerry and Killimer in County Clare. It’s a real time-saver over detouring through Limerick, and puts you close to the Dingle Peninsula.
BUS
You can usually count on a Bus Éireann (www.buseireann.ie) service or two linking all the main towns in the region each day. From Limerick routes run along the Shannon to Kilrush and Kilkee, as well as up through Corofin, Ennistymon, Lahinch, Liscannor and on to the Cliffs of Moher and Doolin. Buses from Ennis follow the same pattern. On the coast between Lahinch and Kilkee services average twice daily in summer. A few other, non-daily routes are geared to schoolkids.
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KILRUSH
pop 2700
Kilrush (Cill Rois) is a small, interesting town that overlooks the Shannon Estuary and the hills of Kerry to the south. The main street, Frances St, runs directly to the harbour. It is more than 30m wide, reflecting Kilrush’s origins as a port and market town in the 19th century when there was much coming and going between land and sea. It has the western coast’s biggest marina (www.kilrushcreekmarina.ie) at Kilrush Creek, and a centre for the research and viewing of dolphins living in the Shannon.
Tourist info ( 065-905 1577; Francis St; varies) can