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County Clare Attractions
The Mass Hole
To say golf is a religious experience in Ireland wouldn’t just be hyperbole. Only in Ireland can you experience the unique hazard of the “Mass hole.” When the celebration of Mass was outlawed during penal times, secret Masses were often held in hidden dales, culverts, and gorges, out of sight of the British. A few golf links have incorporated such places into their courses. For example, hole 5 at the Lahinch Golf Course has a uniquely hidden spot that could easily have served this purpose. Another example is at Waterville Golf Course in County Kerry, where the 12th hole is still universally known as the Mass Hole.
12 Results
- Natural Attraction
Aillwee Cave
The story of how this deep cave system came to be discovered starts with a curious dog. In 1944, a local farmer followed his dog into a small crevice in the hillside. The man was astonished to find that it opened into a huge cavern with 1,000m (3,280 ft.) of passages running straight… - Historic Site
Bunratty Castle & Folk Park
Built in 1425 and restored in the 1950s, Bunratty is an impressive early-15th-century castle, and home to two major tourist attractions: a “living-history” re-creation of a 19th-century village, and a riotous nighttime medieval banquet. You can tour the interior of the castle, which… - Winery/Brewery
Bunratty Winery
In a coach house dating from 1816, this winery produces traditional medieval wines including mead—a drink made from honey, fermented grape juice, water, matured spirits, and herbs, a historical favorite of the upper classes. The winery is also one of only a couple of distilleries… - Prehistoric Site
Caherconnell Stone Fort
Built sometime around the year A.D. 950, this rugged early medieval ring fort was used as a defensive structure for at least 200 years. It’s one of the best-preserved ruins of its kind in Ireland; the dry stone walls are around 3m (9 3/4 ft.) tall in places, and equally as thick.… - The Performing Arts
Cois na hAbhna
This traditional arts center (the name is pronounced Cush-na How-na) stages lively sessions of music, song, and dance, followed by Irish dancing with audience participation. Snacks are traditional as well -- the likes of tea and brown bread. Traditional dance sessions are run… - Ruins
Corcomroe Abbey
Set jewel-like in a languid green valley bounded by rolling hills, the jagged ruins of this Cistercian abbey are breathtaking. Donal Mór O’Brien founded the abbey in 1194, and his grandson, a former king of Thomond, is entombed in the structure’s northern wall. Some interesting… - Historic Site
Craggaunowen
Following the successful castle-plus-open-air-museum template of Bunratty Castle, Craggaunowen focuses on what life would have been like for the Bronze Age inhabitants of Ireland. A reconstructed “crannog” shows how Celts lived, worked, and defended themselves from the Iron Age right… - Landmark
Dysert O'Dea Castle and Archaeology Centre
In an area rich in archaeological sites, this center cleverly links them all together. The center is in a castle that was built in 1480 by Diarmaid O'Dea on a rocky outcrop of land. Like many others, it was badly damaged by Cromwell's gang, and hundreds of years would pass before it… - Tour
East Clare Heritage Centre/Holy Island Tours
In the 10th-century church of St. Cronan, this center provides genealogical research and explains the heritage and history of the East Clare area through a series of exhibits and an audiovisual presentation. A pier across the road is the starting point for a 15-minute excursion in an… - Historic Site
Ennis Friary
When you walk around what’s left of Ennis Friary, it can be hard to get a sense of its original scale. Records show, however, that in 1375 it was the home and workplace for no less than 350 friars and 600 students. Founded in 1241, this Franciscan abbey was a famous seat of learning… - Historic Site
Knappogue Castle
Midway between Bunratty and Ennis, this regal castle was built in 1467 as the home of the MacNamara clan—who, along with the O’Briens, dominated the area for more than 1,000 years. Oliver Cromwell used the castle as a base in the mid-17th century while pillaging the countryside,… - Prehistoric Site
Poulnabrone Dolmen
This portal tomb is an exquisitely preserved prehistoric site, made all the more arresting by the alien Burren landscape in which it sits. Its dolmen (or stone table) is huge, and surrounded by a natural pavement of rocks. The tomb has been dated back 5,000 years. When it was…
