Burren Tour.

There is nowhere in the world quite like the Burren. Its captivating mix of scenery and history, as well as its unique flora, fauna and geographical features all combine to make the Burren a truly wonderous place and an unmissable part of any Irish tour.

Ennis:
The market town of Ennis has long since been a crossroads to people travelling to and from cities such as Limerick, Galway and Shannon.

Ennis is a lively place infused with a rich, multicultural mix of peoples and nationalities rarely found in such a small Irish town.
It is the perfect place to stop and do some shopping, it has a range of giftshops as well as modern stores and supermarkets. Ennis also boasts a number of great restaurants and bars and is also a great place to stop if you want to hear some Irish music.

Corrofin:
Just outside of Ennis is the picturesque village of Corrofin. The town is commonly known as a "Fisherman's Paradise", with two lakes, Lake Inchiquin and Lough Atedaun, linked by the River Fergus, which also flows through Ennis.
Corrifin is a small village that's big on charm and is well worth stopping by just have have a "ramble" through and soak up the real Irish village experience.

Kilfenora:
Kilfenora, located in the heart of the Burren, is another small, pretty village with a number of places to eat and drink. It is also home to the Burren Visitor centre which is well worth a visit for anyone wishing to learn more about this facinating region.

Leamaneh Castle:
Leamaneh Castle,^info now ruined, was once the home to the powerful O'Brien family who are also linked to the castles of Dromoland, now a major golfing destination and Bunratty, perhaps the most famous of all Irish castles.
Carron:
The first sight we reccomend in Carron is Caherconnell Stone Fort; a medival stone fort which remains almost exactly as it was since the time it was built. The fort also boasts a tourist information centre nearby.
The second attraction worth a visit is the Burren Perfumery which makes perfumes, soaps and other products inspired by the unique varieties of flora the Burren posesses.

Poulnabrone:
Poulnabrone, on the road down the mountain towards Ballyvaughan, is Ireland's most famous dolmen and a popular tourist attraction for those exploring the region.
A dolmen - from which our company derives its name - an ancient burial chamber which consists of a series of stone slabs topped with a "capstone" or roof, to form a crude house-like structure. In the case of Poulnabrone, the structure is estimated to date back to the year 2500BC.

Ballyvaughan:
The small coastal town of Ballyvaughan is the perfect place to stop for a pint and maybe a spot of lunch - particularly if seafood is your thing.
There are a number of small cafés and shops to explore, as well as the Burren Exposure museum and the Burren College of Art but perhaps the most famous and popular of all attractions in the region is the Ailwee Cave^info with guided tours of the cave itself and a wealth of other facilities and attractions.

Fanore:
Heading south from Ballyvaughan is a breathtakingly scenic coastal drive where one can see right across Galway Bay. At the end of the road lies Fanore, a tiny beach community situated between Ballyvaughan and Doolin, popular with Irish, and increasingly more so with continental holidaymakers. The beach itself is one of the cleanest and nicest in the country and is perfect for swimming, surfing or kayaking.

Lisdoonvarna:
Lisdoonvarna is popular as a spa town, with all manner of spa treatments to choose from, as well as having a well earned reputation as a place for music, drinks and fun. In September the town holds its annual "Matchmaking Festival", a tradition which harkens back to Irish antiquity.
Traditionally a Matchmaker would match two people together so that they could get married and, one hoped, live happily ever after.
Today thousands of hopefulls flock to the town every year in the hope that the Matchmaker can help them find that special someone, but if not, it doesn't mean one can't enjoy oneself. Lisdoonvarna is famous for wild nights out, as celebrated in the song "Lisdoonvarna" by lrish folk legend Christy Moore.^info

Doolin:
The town of Doolin is a hugely popular destination, firstly as a staging point for those wishing to take a ferry to visit the Arran Islands and secondly because of its proximity to the Cliffs of Moher.
The cliffs reach a height of 214 meters and extend for eight kilometers. One can also view O'Brien's tower, ^info built by Cornelius O'Brien, another member of the O'Brien clan who were linked to various castles in the Clare region.


Other towns and villages in the region:
The following towns and villages, though still quite close by, are not strictly considered to be part of the actual Burren but, we feel, are still well worth a visit.

Ennistymon:
On the road back towards Ennis is the historical town of Ennistymon. The town was traditionally a market town, boosted by its inclusion upon the old West Clare Railway network. Ennistymon is an idyllic town, particularly the waterfall, with the Falls Hotel, built upon the grounds of what was once yet another O'Brien castle. The town also boasts a number of shops and pubs wherein to while away your time.

Lahinch
Very popular with holidaymakers and bathers, and even more so with surfers, Lahinch is a coastal town with one of the finest beaches in the country. There's plenty to see and do there too, with pubs, restaurants, surf shops, as well as an amusement arcade and the Lahinch Seaworld Leisure Centre and Aquarium.
As well as the sun and surf, Lahinch also boasts one of the finest links courses in the country. The course itself, all eighteen holes, meanders right through the dunes and along the edge of the Atlantic coast to provide you with a tricky, but ultimatly satisfying, round of golf.

Miltown Malbay
Another popular party town, Miltown Malbay, like Lisdoonvarna, is a popular music spot and is also the focus of an annual festival, in this case the Willie Clancy Music Festival^info
The festival, held each July, is a celebration of traditional Irish music and for the whole week the small town is thronged with revellers from all over the world, gathered to enjoy the musical "sessions" which take place in the various pubs and other venues within the town.

Spanish Point:
Located between Lahinch and Miltown Malbay is Spanish Point, so named because of the Spanish who lost their lives there in the aftermath of the ill-fated Spanish Armada.
The area sports 2 hotels, complete with bars and restaurants as well as a nine-hole golf course but the best feature of the area, by far, is the beach, yet another example of the many pristine and unspoilt beaches to be found on the west coast of Ireland. The beach is highly popular with bathers and also with surfers, as, much like Lahinch, the rugged coastline and the power of the Atlantic combine to provide some rather lively and invigorating surfing conditions.

The River Fergus, Ennis County Clare.


Leamanah Castle, just outside Kilnaboy, Co. Clare.
One of the most prominant landmarks of the Burren region.


Poulnabrone, outside Ballyvaughan, County Clare.
On the approach to Ballyvaughan, County Clare.


Fanore, County Clare, is situated right on the Atlantic Ocean.


The beach at Fanore, one of the finest beaches in Ireland.


The iconic Cliffs of Moher, just outside Doolin, Co. Clare.


Spanish Point, County Clare.


The sun setting on the beach at Spanish Point.