Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [329]
Linnane’s ( 065-708 8157; Main St; meals €5-12; kitchen noon-8pm) Irish standards like smoked salmon and more are fully honoured here. Peat fires warm the almost bare interior; nary a frill in sight. There’s trad music many nights in summer.
Vaughan’s Pub ( 065-708 8004; Main St; meals €9-15; kitchen 10am-9pm) Seafood, traditional foods and local produce feature on the Vaughan’s appealing menu. The pub has a big reputation in Irish music circles. There’s music in the bar every night during the summer and on many nights the rest of the year. The adjacent barn is the scene of terrific set-dancing sessions on Thursday and Sunday nights. Have a pint under the big tree out front.
Getting There & Away
Kilfenora does not have a useful bus service.
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COROFIN & AROUND
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Corofin (Cora Finne), also spelt Corrofin, is a traditional village on the southern fringes of the Burren. It’s low-key and a classic place to sample the rhythms of Clare life. The surrounding area features a number of turloughs and several O’Brien castles, including two on the shores of nearby Lough Inchiquin.
Corofin is home to the interesting Clare Heritage Centre ( 065-683 7955; www.clareroots.com; Church St; adult/concession €4/2; 9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Oct). Housed in an old church, it has a display covering the horrors of the Famine. More than 250,000 people lived in Clare before the Famine; even today the county’s population is only about 106,000 – a drop of almost 60%. In a separate building nearby, the Clare Genealogical Centre ( 065-683 7955; 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri) has facilities for people researching their Clare ancestry.
About 4km northwest of Corofin, on the road to Leamanegh Castle and Kilfenora (R476), look for the small town of Kilnaboy. The ruined church here is well worth seeking out for the sheila-na-gig over the doorway.
Sleeping & Eating
Corofin Hostel & Camping Park ( 065-683 7683; www.corofincamping.com; Main St; campsites €20, dm/s/d €16/25/40) Campsites out back have nice open spaces, and inside there are 30 beds. The large common room at this IHH-affiliated hostel has a pool table. Hot showers are free for all.
Lakefield Lodge ( 065-683 7675; www.lakefieldlodgebandb.com; Ennis Rd; s/d from €50/70; Mar-Oct) A well-run place near the southern edge of the village. There are four comfy rooms in a pleasant bungalow surrounded by gardens and well-placed for Burren hikes.
Fergus View ( 065-683 7606; www.fergusview.com; s/d from €52/74; Apr-Oct; ) The name exactly describes the scene: the River Fergus flows right past. A lovely home with six rooms, its breakfasts have achieved fame for being fresh – often organic – and creative. It’s 3km north of Corofin on the R476.
Inchiquin Inn ( 065-683 7713; Main St; lunch €6-10; kitchen 9am-6pm) Townsfolk follow the horses at this oh-so-local pub with a great kitchen. The seafood chowder and bacon and cabbage are some of the best you’ll find. The former is thick, tangy and redolent with smoked fish. There’s trad music some summer nights.
Corofin Arms Restaurant ( 065-683 7373; Main St; meals €8-20; kitchen 5.30-9pm, noon-9pm Sun) This sprightly, always popular little pub offers dishes made with locally sourced foods, including tangy Kilnaboy cheese from just up the road.
Getting There & Away
Bus Éireann has an infrequent service some weekdays between Corofin and Ennis.
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NORTHERN BURREN
Low farmland stretches south from County Galway to the bluff limestone hills of the Burren, which begin west of Kinvara and Doorus in County Galway.
From Oranmore in County Galway to Ballyvaughan, the coastline wriggles along small inlets and peninsulas; some, such as Finavarra Point and New Quay, are worth a detour. Here, narrow roads traverse low rocky windswept hills dotted with old stone ruins that have yielded to nature.
Inland near Bell Harbour is the largely intact Corcomroe Abbey, while the three ancient churches