Introduction

An ideal base for exploring the northern Burren, Ballyvaughan (Baile Uí Bheacháin) has a picturesque location between the rocky hills and Galway Bay's translucent waters.

Just west of the village centre, Ballyvaughan's quay was built in 1829 at a time when boats traded with the Aran Islands and Galway, exporting grain and bacon and bringing in peat – a scarce commodity in this barren landscape. From the quay, a signposted track leads to a seashore bird shelter offering fine views of the tidal shallows.

To the village's south, at the foothills of the Burren, you can visit the two-million-year-old Aillwee Cave.