Poulnabrone Dolmen in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland, 2004.

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Clare

County Clare (Contae an Chláir in Irish) is in the Irish province of Munster. It is located on the west coast of Ireland, northwest of the River Shannon and bordering Lough Derg. Area: 3,147 km² (1,215 square miles). Its capital is the town of Ennis. more...

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County Clare succeeded the district of Thomond (which was part of Connacht), and when first created it was sometimes called County Thomond. Its nickname is the Banner County, which refers to a former local tradition of carrying banners at political meetings and public occasions.

County Clare contains The Burren, a unique karst region, which contains rare flowers and fauna. At the western edge of The Burren, facing the Atlantic Ocean, are the Cliffs of Moher. South of the county is the bordered by the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland. Along this estuary is the town of Shannon and the location of Shannon International airport. This airport was the first airport to have a duty-zone, and the Irish Coffee was invented in the airport bar.

County Clare has a strong history of Traditional music. It is home of the Kilfenora Ceili Band, Stockton's Wing, Sharon Shannon, Eoin O'Neill, Eamon Cotter, Peadar O'Loughlin. The county has many traditional music festivals and one of the most well know is the Willie Clancy Summer School, which is held every July in the town of Miltown Malbay. On the more contemporary music scene you have The Walls who are from Ennistymon.

Percy French, a 19th Century Balladist, wrote his most famous song Are Ye Right There Michael lambasting the inefficient rail network in the country at that time – and particularly, the West Clare Railway. French recounts his journey by rail between the Clare towns of Ennis and Kilkee. Unfortunately, bad as the rail network was in French's day, most of the system was closed starting in the 1940s. It was dug up and dismantled by successive governments over several decades in the 1950s, 60s and 70s as it was deemed uneconomic.

Famous people born in County Clare include writer Edna O'Brien, the late Michael Cusack, founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association, John Holland inventor of the submarine. Former president of Ireland Patrick Hillery is from Miltown Malbay.

Many Clare surnames are derived from the powerful septs which ruled over the area. Common surnames are O'Brien, McNamara, O'Grady, Hickey, Griffin, McMahon, Clancy and Considine. In addition many unusual surnames such as Talty, Lillis, Minogue, Clune, Finucane, O'Davoren, McLysaght, and O'Loughlin can be found due to the isolated nature of the county.

Towns/Parishes in County Clare

Aughinish; Burren; Carrigaholt, Clarecastle, Cratloe; Cree (Creegh), *Doolin, Doora; Ennis, Ennistimon, Feakle; Inagh,Kilnamona; Kilmaley,Connolly,Inch; Kilkee, Killadysert, Killaloe, Kilrush; Lahinch, Liscannor, Lisdoonvarna, Lissycasey; Miltown Malbay, Mountshannon, Meelick; Newmarket-on-Fergus; O'Briensbridge; Quin; Scariff, Shannon Town, Sixmilebridge, Spanish Point; Tulla;