Things to do in The Burren
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Doolin Cave
The Doolin area is popular with cavers. A little over 1km north of Roadford you’ll find Doolin Cave, which boasts an enormous stalactite that looks like a giant squid. The main entrance is at the Fisherstreet Potholes; tour times vary by season.
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Linnane's
Irish standards like smoked sal- mon 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.
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Doolin Ferry
Doolin Ferry.
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Caherconnell Fort
For a look at a well-preserved caher (walled fort) of the late Iron Age-Early Christian period, stop at Caherconnell Fort, a privately run heritage attraction that's more serious than sideshow. Exhibits detail how the evolution of these defensive settlements may have reflected territorialism and competition for land among a growing, settling population. The drystone walling of the fort is in excellent condition. The top-notch visitor centre also has information on many other monuments in the area. It's about 1km south of Poulnabrone Dolman on the R480.
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Burren Perfumery & Floral Centre
This sweet-smelling stop is a creative treasure. It uses wildflowers of the Burren to produce its scents, and is the only handicraft perfumery in Ireland. There's a free audiovisual presentation on the flora of the Burren, which has a surprising diversity. One example: the many fragrant orchids that grow among the rocks. The centre has an organic cafe, and native and herb gardens. Look for perfumery signs at the T-junction near Carron church. Note that tour buses aren't welcome.
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Aillwee Caves
Send the kids underground. The main cave here penetrates 600m into the mountain, widening into larger caverns, one with its own waterfall. The caves were carved out by water some two million years ago. Near the entrance are the remains of a brown bear, extinct in Ireland for more than 10,000 years. Often crowded in summer, there's a cafe, and a large raptor exhibit has captive hawks, owls and more. A shop sells locally produced Burren Gold cheese, which is excellent.
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Green Holes of Doolin
The rocks to the north of Doolin Harbour are honeycombed with an unusual system of undersea caves called the Green Holes of Doolin. They're the longest known undersea caves in temperate waters. Nondivers can look, with care, into Hell, a large gash in the rocks, north of the harbour and about 50m from the sea. The gash is about 6m wide, and the heaving water at the bottom leads to a maze of submarine passages.
Note that all unguided caves require experience and full equipment.
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Burren Smokehouse
You can learn about the ancient Irish art of oak-smoking salmon from a video (available in six languages) at the Burren Smokehouse. Tasty smoked salmon and other fishies in a myriad of forms are offered for free tasting – perhaps you'll even buy some? Good coffee and tea are sold along with other deli-type foods suitable for picnics. Tourist information is also available. The smokehouse is at the edge of Lisdoonvarna on the Kincora road (N67).
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Vaughan's Pub
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.
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Cassidy's
Cassidy's serves up a good range of pub dishes, several with witty names reflecting the establishment's previous incarnation as a British Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) station, and then as a garda (police) barracks. Enjoy trad music and dancing some weekends. The views from the terrace are as intoxicating as the drink.
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Roadside Tavern
Down by the river, this pub is pure craic. Third-generation owner Peter Curtin knows every story worth telling. There are trad sessions daily in summer and during the weekends in winter. Imbibing musicians can be found here anytime. The trad fun extends to the kitchen, which turns out creamy seafood chowders etc. Anything with smoked fish is good as they also run the nearby Burren Smokehouse.
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Clare Heritage Centre
Corofin is home to the interesting Clare Heritage Centre, housed in an old church and with a display covering the horrors of the Great 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%. The Clare Genealogical Centre, in a separate building nearby, has facilities for people researching their Clare ancestry.
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Monk's Bar & Restaurant
Famed for its excellent seafood, Monk's is a cheerful, spacious and comfortable place. Peat fires warm in winter, while sea breezes cool you at the outdoor tables in summer. The pub is open late and there are trad sessions some nights in high season.
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Inchiquin Inn
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. An annual stone-throwing championship out back in June is a huge local party. Hostel beds upstairs are €15 per person.
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Ólólainn
A tiny family-run place on the left as you head out to the pier, Ólólainn (o- loch -lain) is the place for a timeless moment or two in old-fashioned snugs. Look for the old whiskey bottles in the window.
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Wilde & Wooley
This is the name for Antoinette Hensey's shop, where she makes custom knitwear from exquisitely dyed wool. The designs are complex and beautiful; a sweater costs upwards of €200. It's nearby to Russell Gallery, just off the N67.
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Russell Gallery
Specialises in raku (Japanese lead-glazed earthenware) work. The airy gallery has a range of other works by Irish artists for sale along with books on the region. It's about 500m west of Linnane's Seafood Bar, at a crossroads.
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Linnane's Seafood Bar
This seafood place achieved widespread cachet as a no-nonsense purveyor of fresh seafood sourced from the trap-covered docks behind the restaurant. For centuries this area was famous for its oysters; shellfish are still processed here and you can sometimes buy them from the little works behind the pub.
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McGann's
McGann's has all the classic touches of a full-on Irish music pub; the action often spills out onto the street. The food here is the best of the trio. Inside you'll find locals playing darts in its warren of small rooms, some with turf fires. There's a small outside covered area.
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Cliffs of Moher
One of the most enjoyable ways to pass your time in Doolin is by walking the windswept country. Tracks and paths radiate in all directions; the Cliffs of Moher are 6km south.
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O'Connor's
Right on the water, this sprawling favourite packs them in and has a rollicking atmosphere when the music and drinking are in full swing. It easily gets the most crowded and has the highest tourist quotient; on some summer nights you won't squeeze inside and trying to eat is like playing the fiddle for the first time.
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MacDiarmada's
Also known as McDermott's, this simple red-and-white old pub can be the rowdy favourite of locals. When the fiddles get going, it can seem like a scene out of a John Ford movie. The inside is pretty basic, as is the menu of sandwiches and roasts. McGann's is a one-minute walk.
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Fisherstreet Potholes
The Doolin area is popular with cavers. Check out the Fisherstreet Potholes.
Note that all unguided caves require experience and full equipment.
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Corofin Arms Restaurant
This sprightly, always popular little pub offers dishes made with locally sourced foods, including tangy Kilnaboy cheese from just up the road.
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Doolin Deli
For self-catering, the well-stocked Doolin Deli is just down from O’Connor’s pub in Fisherstreet on the road to the pier.
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