Traditional Music and Doolin Pubs
Doolin is widely regarded as the home of traditional Irish Music in Ireland. One can be guaranteed a great night of ‘ceol agus craic’ in all the local pubs seven nights a week throughout the Summer months and at weekends during the Winter.
Here in Doolin we are blessed with four wonderfully local and traditional pubs that include Fitzpatrick Bar, McGann’s Pub, Mc Dermott’s Pub and O’Connor’s Pub. They all serve great food and beverages and provide entertainment with some of the finest traditional Irish music sessions on display.
There are plenty of options for places to eat besides the pubs and with local restaurants such as Russells Fish Shop, Stonewall Café, Ivy cottage, Doolin Café, Glas Restaurant, Anthony’s Restaurant, Ballinalacken Castel, Oar restaurant, Riverside Bistro restaurant and the Burren Storehouse Lisdoonvarna you will be spoilt for choice for quality tasty local food.
Doolin Pier
You can take a ferry and visit the Aran Islands . After only 30 minutes by boat you enter the world of the mystical old Ireland. The Ferry leaves several times daily from Doolin Pier. You can walk to the Cliffs of Moher (7km) or go on a cruise, the boats leave from Doolin Pier.
The Caves
Doolin Cave (Poll an Ionain) is open to the public and you can see there one of the longest free hanging stalactite in the world at 7 metres. Ailwee Cave is 20 minutes drive from Doolin, it also hosts Burren Birds of Pray and Education Centre, its Ireland’s Premier Show Cave.
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands are a group of islands located just 11 kms off the Clare coastline.
Of the three Islands, Inis Oirr (meaning small island) is the smallest and perhaps most popular with day trippers leaving from Doolin.
Inis Meain (meaning middle Island) is perhaps the least visited but not without its own distinctive charm.
Inis Mór (big Island) is the largest of the Aran Islands and is home to the famous cliff top ring fort Dun Aonghasa.
On the islands visitors can get a truly authentic Irish experience as locals converse in their native Irish tongue ‘as gaeilge’ and with wonders such as the aforementioned world Heritage site Dun Aonghasa perched on dramatic 300 ft cliff edge it well worth a visit.
www.aranislands.ie
The Burren
The region around Doolin offers a wide variety of activities for all tastes. For the walking enthusiasts, the Burren is a unique limestone region of approximately 300 square kilometres. It is a paradise for botanical and geological excursions as well as archaeologists or cavers. The Burren is famous for the wildflowers, the ring forts and places of archaeological interest. You can find abandoned villages and walk on green roads for miles without ever seeing a car.
Activities
- Doolin Music House – doolinmusichouse.com
- Walking – Cliffs of Moher Trail and Burren walks
- Burren walking information Centre – clarerocks.com
- Burren Tours – burrentours@gamil.com
- Aran Island and Cliffs of Moher Cruise
www.cliffsofmohercruises.ie, www.doolinferry.com and - Cycling – www.doolinrentabike.ie , www.burren.ie/cyclingroutes
- Burren, Food & Wine, www.Burrenwine.ie
- Doolin Yoga – www.doolinyoga.ie
- Burren Smokehouse Visitor centre & Salmon Experience – www.burrensmokehouse.com
- Burren Perfumery- www.burrenperfumery.com
- The Burren Centre – www.theburrencentre.ie
- Surfing
- Lahinch Surf School – www.lahinchsurfschool.com
- Ben’s surf clinic- www.benssurfclinic.com
- Aloha Surf School Fanore – www.surfschool.tv
- Lahinch Kite Surfing – www.lahinchkitesurfing.com
- Sea Kayaking
- Clare Sea Kayaking- www.northclareseakayaking.com
- Climbing- Climbit, www.climbit.ie
- Sea Diving Course- Burren Sub Aqua Club, www.burrensubaquaclub.com
- Fishing/Angling – O’Callaghan Angling & Cruising, Liscannor tel 065 6821374 West Coast Angling – Lahinch tel 086 8838166
- Doolin Pitch & Putt – www.doolinpitchandputt.com
- Lahinch Golf Club – www.lahinchgolf.com
- Horse Riding: Mountain View Equestrian Trails – Lisdoonvarna . Tel 087-6894520
- Caherconnell Stone Fort & Sheepdog Demonstations– www.caherconnell.com
Lahinch Adventure – www.lahinchadventure.com
For more info go to: www.doolin.ie