COUNTY CLARE - CLIFFS OF MOHER


The Cliffs Of Moher are one of the most outstanding coastal features of Ireland. They are located just south of the Village of Doolin and the Burren. Rising slowly from Doolin they ascend to over 700 feet stretching south for nearly five miles to Hags head. They are Irelands` premier tourist attraction and a must see for anyone visiting Ireland.

Being almost vertical, their sheer drop into the heaving Atlantic ocean is a haven for sea birds. One can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins and the Maum Turk Mountains to the north in Connemara and Loop Head to the South, the top is never tiresome. Perhaps their popularity is increased by easy access; located close to a regional road, the viewing area with the vista of a rolling stretch of five headlands stretching out to the south can be reached without difficulty and hence has been visited since the early days of tourism in Ireland.

The Cliffs of Moher were originally the site of a gigantic river delta and were formed about 320 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. The Napoleonic signal tower at Hags Head was built in 1803, this is close to the site of a long gone 1st century BC ruined fort `Mothar` from which the Cliffs get their name. The cliffs reach their highest point near O`Brien`s Tower. A walk along the paved pathways near the cliffs edge cliffs is not to be missed. The legends and folklore of the locality include many tales about the cliffs and the fantastic formations that ocean and climate have carved from the rock. The Cliffs of Moher have featured in many films amongst them `The Princess Bride` (1987) and `Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince` (2009). The ashes of Dusty Springfield were also scattered at the cliffs.

O`Briens Tower

The three storey castellated observation tower is built of grey stone and is situated in open surroundings. Visitors can use the tower`s top floor viewing platform for long reaching views over the bay and out towards the Twelve Bens mountain range; also known as the Twelve Pins, in Connemara, Loop Head at the southern tip of County Clare and the Aran Islands to the west. The castle also has a gift shop and a gallery for local artists on the first floor. The tower is open daily and access to the viewing platform is via a spiral staircase.

The tower was built as an observation tower for the hundreds of Victorian tourists visiting the area by a local man Sir Cornelius O`Brien; a descendent of the Kings of Thomond from Bunratty Castle and The High King of Ireland Brian Borou, in 1835. He was famous for being one of the first people in the area to exploit tourism hoping to bring much needed revenue to the local economy. He was also responsible for building a wall along the cliffs using Moher flagstones which bear the remarkable feature of the imprint of fossilized eels compacted over thousands of years and got a reputation of being `the person who built everything apart from the cliffs`. On his death in 1857 he was buried in the O`Brien vault which adjoins St Brigid`s Well at Liscannor.

Moher Tower - Hag`s Head

Hag`s Head is a large rock formation above a sea arch which resembles a seated woman looking out to sea. The point affords spectacular panoramic views of cliffs, sea caves and the ocean. This point stands Moher Tower, a Napoleonic signal tower built around 1806. Signal towers were built to keep watch on the coast for any sign of the French during the Napoleonic Wars. At any sign of an invading ship, signals would be passed to the next tower and so on back to the commanding station. The next tower on the coast should be visible in each direction.

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience

The site has been developed by Clare County Council and Shannon Heritage to allow visitors experience the spectacular natural impression of the Cliffs, without the distraction of imposing man-made amenities or features. In keeping with this carefully-balanced approach, the `Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience` is built into a hillside approaching the Cliffs, blending naturally with the surrounding countryside.

Officially opened in February 2007 having been meticulously planned and built over a 17 year period, the €32M facility features an informative array of interactive media, exploring topics such as the origin of the Cliffs in local and global geological contexts, the bird and fish life in the area, and many more. An IMAX-type multimedia show allows visitors to experience a bird`s eye view from the cliffs, as well as seeing the inside of underwater caves at the foot of the cliffs.

Wildlife

Humans are not the only visitors to the Cliffs of Moher; during the nesting season they play home to more than 30,000 pairs of nesting seabirds and they are a protected habitat under both EU and Irish Wildlife Legislation. Internationally important numbers of both guillemot and razorbill can be found at this, the most significant seabird nesting colony on the mainland of Ireland. Other protected species that can be found include Puffin, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Shag & Black backed Gull. The Chough, also known as the Celtic Crow, and the Peregrine Falcon are also in residence and many other bird species can also be seen. Marine wildlife such as grey seal, dolphins, basking sharks and, occasionally, sea otters and both minke and humpback whales can be spotted.