Attractions
Click on the sections below to find out more information...
Lisdoonvarna
Lisdoonvarna is a Spa town but nowadays is better known for the Matchmaker Festival which takes place every year in September. For places to eat we highly recommend Sheedys Hotel & Restaurant, The Wild Honey Inn and The Roadside Tavern where Peter brews his own beer. Visit the Burren Smokehouse, next to The Roadside Tavern, learn how they smoke their own fish, sample their award winning salmon and browse in their gift shop.
Kilfenora
The history of Kilfenora goes back thousands of years. It was the site of an important early monastic settlement. St. Fachtna founded an Abbey here in the sixth century. Kilfenora is also called "City of the Crosses", a reference to the High Crosses within or near the precincts of the cathedral. Visit The Burren Centre a visitor information centre with exhibitions, tea rooms and gifts. Kilfenora is famous for its music with annual festival in April and plenty of sessions throughout the summer. It is also a popular spot for Father Ted fans, hosting the annual Ted Fest and Ted Tours. If you are not staying at Boghill we highly recommend Kilfenora Hostel.
Doolin
Traditionally a fishing village but now more well known for its Traditional Irish Music including the Doolin Folk Festival that runs annually in June.
There are plenty of walks and cycling routes, as well as lots of pubs and restaurants. It is also the home of the worlds largest free hanging stalactite at Doolin Cave
Ennistymon
Ennistymon was originally a market town and this tradition has been revived in recent years with farmers market every Sat throughout the summer and stalls Tuesdays all year.
The River Inagh runs through the town and cascades into fabulous falls. A bridge across the river leads to nearby Lahinch, on the N67 road. The town is connected to Ennis by the N85 (which is actually the main street through the town).
There are plenty of places to eat and sessions can be found.
The Falls Hotel is a great place to eat with gorgeous views of the falls. You can wander though the grounds and along the river and pat the donkeys!
Lahinch
Lahinch/Lehinch is a popular sea-side resort. Its 1.6 km beach is ideal for walking or making sand castles with the kids and the wild Atlantic ocean attracts surfers from all over the world.
Lahinch has long been a popular destination for golfers and is home to the world famous Lahinch Golf Club.
The village has plenty of places to eat and we recommend you visit the Celtic T-Shirt shop and Phillip Morrison Gallery.
Fanore
Fanore has a beautiful beach and Home of Aloha Surf School where you can learn to surf in a quieter environment to that of Lahinch.
The village is quaint with a shop and a pub and further down the coast is a general merchant's, post office and O'Donoghue's pub, which has music on Saturday nights.
The Caher River enters the sea at Fanore and the trail head for the Caher Valley Loop Walk starts in the beach car park.
Ballyvaughan
Ballyvaughan is a busy village with many pubs, restaurants, shops and B&Bs.
Boating, fishing, scuba diving and other sea activities can also be enjoyed.
Ballyvaughan is home to the Burren College of Art and Newtown Castle.
The Ballyvaughan Farmers Market and Ballyvaughan Craft Fair runs at weekends throughout the summer.
Kilshanny
The small village has a Church, a school, a pub and a community hall and is home to historical sites such as The Abbey of St. Mary and St. Augustine, The Carn Connachtach (a Bronze age burial site), Smithstown Castle and holy wells dedicated to St. Augustine, St. Senan, St. Cravan and Iníne Baoith.
We highly recommend a visit to Kilshanny House (pub), music sessions, Singing Circle and great food.
The mighty Cliffs of Moher are 214m high at the highest point and span 8 kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean.
From the Cliffs there are 3 primary viewing platforms. On a clear day you can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South.
Climb to the top of O'Brien's Tower, built in 1835, and see magnificent views of Hags Head (south) and Doolin (north).
The area is a designated Special Protection Area (SPA) for Birds and home to one of the major colonies of cliff nesting seabirds in Ireland - the Puffin. You may also see Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Peregrine Falcons.
At the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre you can immerse yourselves in the Cliffs Exhibition, housed in a huge domed cave, which helps you understand the history, mystery and natural wonder of the Cliffs. Refreshments are available all day through the Puffins Nest Coffee Shop and Cliffs View Café.
Cliffs of Moher Boat Trip
Discover the Cliffs from the sea, rising over 700ft! There are two Ferry companies that operate from Doolin Pier offering Tours of the Cliffs.
Visit Cliffs of Moher Cruises Website Visit Doolin Ferry Website
Doolin Cave and the Great Stalactite
The Great Stalactite is 7.3 metres (23feet) and is the longest free-hanging stalactite in Europe!
During your visit you can wander the nature trail, home to indigenous species of flora and rare and miniature breeds of animals. The Visitor Centre has a Gift Shop, Doolin Cave Pottery and refreshments.
Aillwee Cave and the Birds of Prey Centre
One of the oldest caves in Ireland. Explore the frozen waterfall, over bridged chasms, fascinating stalactites and stalagmites, and the now extinct brown bears' bones.
At the complex there is a woodland walk, Gift shop and refreshments and the Burren Gold Cheese shop, home to the award winning cheese, homemade fudge, jams, chutneys, honey and other yummy delights.
The Birds of Prey
Dynamic flying displays set against the dramatic Burren landscape with Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Owls and more. You can walk around the centre, see the birds and find out more information about them.
Taste, smell, see and feel the Burren in the company of knowledgeable guides! A range of Tours are available from the Burren Ecotourism Network which include Guided Walks, Herbal Walks, Cycling Tours (including electric bikes), Hawk Walk and Oyster tasting
Themed trails and Burren Food Trail Events uncover the path your food takes from field to plate. Meet the producers, dine in award-winning restaurants and learn about the fertile valleys of the Burren Geopark.
The Burren Ecotourism Network are passionate about food - growing and producing it for you to enjoy.
Loop Walks & Trails
There are many loop walks and trails that are clearly marked and mapped for you to follow but for a real Burren Experience we would highly recommend you go with one of the local guides.
Heritage Trails
Short, information-packed walks for Ballyvaughan, Corofin, Dysert O'Dea, Lisdoonvarna and Flaggy Shore.
Ask at Boghill Reception for a map.
Boghill Centre Guided Walking Breaks
Interested in bringing a group to the Boghill Centre? Check out our Guided Burren Walking Breaks for Groups, this walking programme includes inland and coastal guided walking trips (2.5 – 5 hours per day) and has been designed to let you experience the biodiversity, geology, history, archaeology, food, culture and traditions of the Burren.
Cycling Routes & Tours
There are self guided routes that are signposted and mapped as well as taking a guided cycling tour. There are a number of places to hire cycles and if you want that extra push we recommend you try an electric bike from E-Wizz!
More information on cycling routes at www.burren.ie/what-to-do/cycling-routes
More information on Guided Cycling Tours at www.burren.ie/what-to-do/cycling-routes
Bicycle Hire
Burren Fine Wine and Foods, Ballyvaughan
Tel: +353 65 707 7046
Email: info@burrenwine.ie
Lahinch Bikes
Tel: +353 86 8448622
Email: ben@benssurfclinic.com
Website: www.lahinchadventures.com
E-Whizz
Tel: +353 87 6277000
Email: info@e-whizz.com
Website: www.e-whizz.com
The Burren and Cliffs of Moher region became a UNESCO recognised Geopark in 2011.
The Boghill Centre is an Official Tourism Partner of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark. Official Tourism Partner status is achieved by tourism enterprises in the Geopark who have completed comprehensive sustainability training and who have adopted the Geopark Sustainable Code of Practice for Tourism. Official Tourism Partners are members of Burren Ecotourism, an innovative network of tourism enterprises that champions sustainable ethos and practice in the Geopark.
The name Burren comes from the word Bhoireann, an Irish (Gaelic) word meaning ‘a place of stone’.
The Burren is 500 square kilometres of limestone karst. It is renowned for its unusual and diverse flora and for its rich archaeological and historical heritage as well as its unique farming practices. It is also one of the most distinctive landscape regions in Ireland, featuring bare rock pavements, cliff and terraced hills, caves, seasonal lakes, springs, disappearing streams, and a varied coast that passes south into the Cliffs of Moher, one of the most dramatic coastlines in Ireland.
“It is an upside-down world of contradictions where rivers run underground through a honeycomb of caves carved by nature through low-resistance limestone; year-round pasture flourishes at rocky heights; Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants grow side by side as strange flower-bed fellows in secret stone pockets and rocky wrinkles. Burren roads that vary in age from 200 to 1,000 years lead back through 7,000 years of habitation marked by 120 ancient stone tombs, 500 stone forts plus castles and churches from every century of the Christian era.”
The living traditions that thrive in the region include the vibrant Irish traditional music scene of County Clare, as well as a traditional food culture that boasts organic cheeses, excellent smoked fish, and the unrivalled Burren beef, lamb and pork.
With its unusual geological features, its well preserved archaeology, its unique flora and fauna and its local culture, it is an ideal area to explore intimately in a small tour group. The nature of the area – unspoilt countryside, unusual natural features, numerous heritage sites, small roads , working farms – make it a haven for visitors.
Given the Boghill Centre’s focus on traditional Irish music, it will come as no surprise to learn that we are situated in the heart of the Irish music scene. North Clare, particularly the nearby towns of Lisdoonvarna, Kilfenora and Doolin, hosts trad music sessions all year around in the local pubs.
Boghill is a bit of a magnet for musicians and you will always come across visiting and resident players. The Boghill Centre Music Holiday Week are famous for using local session musicians as tutors and taking guests to different sessions every night.