Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [311]
In Market Sq there’s an ACC bank with an ATM and on Frances St you’ll find the post office and an AIB ATM. KK Computing ( 065-905 1806; Frances St; per hr €5; 10am-10pm, shorter hr in winter) has internet access.
Sights & Activities
St Senan’s Catholic church (Toler St) contains eight detailed examples of stained glass by well-known early 20th-century artist Harry Clarke. East of town is Kilrush Wood, which has some fine old trees and a picnic area.
Vandeleur Walled Garden ( 065-905 1760; adult/child €5/2; 10am-6pm Apr-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Mar) is a remarkable ‘lost’ garden. It was the private domain of the wealthy Vandeleur family – merchants and landowners who engaged in harsh evictions and forced emigration of local people in the 19th century. The gardens lie within a large walled area and have been redesigned and planted with colourful tropical and rare plants. Woodland trails wind around the area, and there’s also a cafe.
Near the marina, Shannon Dolphin & Wildlife Centre ( 065-905 2326; www.shannondolphins.ie; Merchants Quay; 10am-4pm May-Sep) is a research facility that monitors the 100 or so dolphins swimming out in the Shannon. Look for the mural of the dolphin on the front of the building, which houses exhibits on the playful cetaceans. It’s also a stop on the well-marked Kilrush Shannon Dolphin Trail, which ends 3km out of town at Aylevarro Point, where signs have more info and where you can often see dolphins frolicking offshore. Follow the road south of the harbour to get here.
The local flora and fauna are the inspiration at Naturequest Gallery ( 065-905 1309; Burton St; 1-4pm Thu-Sat), an artist-run gallery just off the Butter Market.
Sleeping & Eating
B&Bs are about as common here as driftwood on a beach.
Katie O’Connor’s Holiday Hostel ( 065-905 1133; katieoconnors@eircom.net; Frances St; dm/d from €19/40; mid-Apr–Oct) This fine old main-street house dates from the 18th century, and was one of the town houses of the Vandeleur family. There are 16 beds in two rooms at this delightfully funky IHH-affiliated hostel.
Crotty’s ( 065-905 2470; www.crottyspubkilrush.com; Market Sq; s/d from €45/70) Brimming with character, Crotty’s has an old-fashioned high bar, intricately tiled floors and a series of snugs decked out with traditional furnishings. You can enjoy music many nights in summer. Food is served daily (meals €6 to €16) and includes high-end versions of pub fare. Upstairs are seven small, traditionally decorated rooms.
Hillcrest View ( 065-905 1986; www.hillcrestview.com; Doonbeg Rd; s/d from €60/80; ) This large house, at the top of the hill where the Doonbeg road climbs out of Kilrush, is about 1km from the centre. Its six rooms have vaguely posh furnishings, and breakfast is served in a bright conservatory.
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LAST CALL FOR THE WEST CLARE RAILWAY?
Running on a roundabout route from Ennis to Kilrush and Kilkee, the narrow-gauge West Clare Railway was the line that barely could. It operated from 1892 until 1961 and during that time reached its greatest notoriety when popular early 20th-century musician Percy French mocked it in the song Are Ye Right There Michael. It seems the perennially late WCR caused French to miss a paying gig in Kilkee. After French took his revenge via song, the railway management – so the oft-told tale goes – sued for libel. Percy triumphed when, late for a court appearance, he was asked by the judge for an explanation. His reply: ‘I took the West Clare Railway, your honour.’ The case was thrown out and he was awarded costs.
Today a 2km vestige of the line ( 065-905 1284; www.westclarerailway.ie; adult/child €6/3; 10am-6pm May-Sep) survives near Moyasta on the Kilkee Rd (N67) 6km northwest of Kilrush. Run by volunteers, the steam-powered trains shuttle back and forth over the open land. And if some local boosters get their way the line will be restored between Kilrush and Kilkee. However, there’s one obstacle: like seemingly everywhere else in Ireland, the route is under threat from new home construction.