The Cliffs of Moher - A Must See When in the West of Ireland!

The Cliffs of Moher are located in County Clare ontraditional Irish music in County Clare and indeed
the western seaboard overlooking the powerfulIreland. It is also the most southerly port from which
Atlantic Ocean. Standing on the top of the Cliffs, 214you can get a ferry out to the Aran Islands.
metres above the ocean watching the sunset, isDirections:
bound to be the highlight of any sightseeing trip inThe Cliffs can be easily reached from the cities of
Ireland.Galway and Limerick. You can get a train from almost
About the Cliffs...anywhere in the country as far as Ennis and from
The most popular viewing point at the Cliffs ofthere you can get a bus. However the best way to
Moher is just north of O'Brien's Tower where thetravel in Clare, and indeed the rest of the country, is
cliffs peak to 214 metres. The cliffs then stretch forby car.
8kms to the south and end at the Hags Head, whichFrom Galway: You can take the N18 out of the city
is 120 metres above the Atlantic.and then turn right onto the N67 in the village of
These world famous cliffs are made of shale andKilcolgan. Continue on this road as far as Lisdoonvarna
sandstone, which has built up over many millions ofbut then turn right after the village on to the R478
years. In fact if you were to get close enough to thewhich will continue on past Doolin and you should
base of the cliffs, you can see the remains of 300reach the cliffs about 3km before the village of
million year old prehistoric river channels!Liscannor.
There is a tower at either end of the cliffs; MoherFrom Limerick or Shannon Airport: Head west
Tower in the south at Hags Head and O'Brien'stowards Ennis along the N18. From Ennis you can
Tower in the north where most of the touristtake the N85 Ennistymon. From there you can head
facilities are. Moher Tower is a ruined watchtowerfor Lahinch on the N67 and turn right onto the R478
that may have been built by the British who fearedfor Liscannor. Continue out of Liscannor village on the
invasion by Napoleon. O'Brien's Tower was built atR748 and you'll come to the cliffs after about 6km.
about the same time in 1835 by Cornelius O'Brien(From Limerick city journey time is about 1 hour 25
who wished to facilitate the many tourists who wereminutes and the cliffs are just a 1 hour drive from
visiting the cliffs, even at this period in time. From theShannon Airport, so if you're touching down here,
top of O'Brien's Tower on a clear day it is possible toyou really should take the opportunity to see the
see as far as the Kerry mountains in the south andCliffs.)
the Aran Islands out at sea.Cliffs of Moher - Know before you go...
The cliffs are very important for wildlife. They areOpening hours -
practically vertical, which makes them an excellent· While obviously the cliffs are always open,
sanctuary for birds and other small animals. There arethere are a number of other features such as
an estimated 30,000 birds of almost 30 species thatO'Brien's Tower and the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor
occupy the cliffs, including puffins, gulls, shags, ravensExperience, which do have opening times.
and hawks (which are the only predator that can· While the O'Brien's Tower is normally open
stalk the cliffs). A 200 hectare area was officiallyto the public, in 2007 the tower is undergoing
made a protected area for birds in 1988 and therestoration so is closed for the year.
whole area includes the cliffs, several hundred metres· Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience has
inland and out to sea.variable opening times throughout the year but as a
In more recent times the Cliffs of Moher New Visitorgeneral rule will open at 9 (Give or take half an hour
Experience was built into the nearby landscape, itdepending on the season) and it closes 5pm in the
cost EUR32 million, took 17 years to build andwinter and 8:30pm in the height of the summer. The
features some of the best renewable power sourcesEntrance fee costs about EUR4.00 per adult and
available today including geothermal, solar and waterEUR2.50 for a child. There is a student/OAP/group
recycling. The centre features a multimediarate and children under 4 are free.
presentation that can give you a birds-eye view of· There is a large car park near the road
the cliffs and gives you an in-depth tutorial on all theopposite the cliffs and it costs about EUR8 to park
birds and fish of the area.here.
The cliffs form the western edge of an area of· At the Cliffs of Moher you'll also find a cosy
karst landscape known as the Burren. This area iscafé, a shop and a restaurant called the 'Long
unique in Ireland and in Europe and features anDock', which boasts stunning views.
interesting selection of flora and fauna that youWhen's a good time to go -
won't see anywhere less. The 250 km² area· The weather in the summer is most
also features a number of interesting archaeologicalconducive for a sightseeing expedition but as the
sites including an ancient Dolmen.cliffs draw over a million tourists a year most of
The cliffs have been used in a few movies includingwhich visit during the summer months of July and
the Princess Bride and in Ryan's Daughter!August, it may get a little crowded at times.
How to get to the Cliffs of Moher...However the months of June and September can
Location:often have excellent weather and there tends to be
The Cliffs are located in the parish of Liscannor,fewer tourists about as well.
County Clare, which is situated about half way· As the cliffs face due west, we
between the cliffs and the well-known seaside townrecommend visiting the cliffs at sunrise or sunset for
of Lahinch, which is itself renowned for its fabulousa truly unforgettable experience!
beach and links golf course.So start planning you're trip to Ireland's wild west
Just a few kilometres north of the cliffs is the townnow!
of Doolin which is famous for being the hub of