Doolin

Doolin (Dúlainn) is a small community in County Clare on the west coast of Ireland. The main attraction is the Cliffs of Moher, and it's also an access point for reaching the Aran Islands and The Burren. Doolin pubs have a lively trad music scene.

There isn't really a village here, but several small collections of buildings: the Harbour, Fisher Street leading up from it, Fitz's Cross 1 km inland, and Roadford another km inland. Another 7 km brings you to the short street that is Lisdoonvarna (Lios Dúin Bhearna, "fort of the gapped keep"), also described on this page.

Get in
The main road is N67, which branches off M18 at Ennis and loops north through Ennistymon. The turn off to Doolin is 5 km south of Lisdoonvarna while N67 continues through Ballyvaughan and Kinvarra to Galway.

A slow scenic route is along the cliff tops, northwards branching off N67 at Ennistymon for Lahinch, Liscannor and Cliffs of Moher to Doolin, and southwards branching off at Ballyvaughan to arrive via Black Head and Fanore.

Bus 350 follows that slow route from Galway six times a day via Kinvarra, Ballyvaughan, Fanore,, Doolin village and pier, Cliffs of Moher, Liscannor, Lahinch, Ennistymon, Corofin and Inagh to Ennis.

has summer ferries to the Aran Islands, for foot passengers only. The islands also have ferries from County Galway so you don't have to return the same way.

Get around
Doolin is a straggly but small place. It's 7 km to Lisdoonvarna or to the Cliffs of Moher.

North Clare can be a great place to cycle and Doolin is the start of 4 cycle routes.



The Paddywagon is a minibus that shuttles between Doolin pier and village, Cliffs of Moher, Kilconnell, Liscannor, Lahinch and Ennistymon. So you can ride one way and hike the other, and avoid bringing a vehicle to the crowded Cliffs car park. It runs every couple of hours, adult €8.

See

 * Crab Island is the uninhabited lump 500 m off Doolin pier. Nothing there except the remains of a 19th century police post, showing that Victorian authorities were as concerned with seaborne goings-on as on land.
 * See Lahinch for the cliffs further south to Kilconnell and Liscannor.
 * The Burren: Doolin and Lisdoonvarna are good bases for exploring this area of limestone scenery.
 * See Ballyvaughan for Fanore Beach, Caherconnell Stone Fort, Poulnabrone Dolmen and Aillwee Cave.
 * See Lahinch for the cliffs further south to Kilconnell and Liscannor.
 * The Burren: Doolin and Lisdoonvarna are good bases for exploring this area of limestone scenery.
 * See Ballyvaughan for Fanore Beach, Caherconnell Stone Fort, Poulnabrone Dolmen and Aillwee Cave.
 * See Ballyvaughan for Fanore Beach, Caherconnell Stone Fort, Poulnabrone Dolmen and Aillwee Cave.

Do

 * Visit the Aran Islands. April-Oct there are several daily sailings from Doolin pier, for day trips or point-to-point ferry rides, foot passengers only. Boats take about 30 min to Inis Oirr, 75 min to the largest island Inis Mór. Inis Meáin is in between but takes 90 min as the boat calls on its way back from Inis Mór. Adult fares are €20-25.
 * The main operator is
 * Sail to Cliffs of Moher: Apr-Oct they also have hour-long boat trips beneath the cliffs, adult €15.
 * Walk along the cliff tops between Doolin, Cliffs of Moher, and Kilconnell near Liscannor. Guided walks led by a local farmer also go as far as the Cliffs visitors centre.
 * Caving: the real thing, not show-caves. The limestone bedrock is riddled with caves, and Poll na gColm is Ireland's longest, with over 12 km of mapped passages. You need suitable training and equipment; the caves can flood rapidly in wet weather. They continue west beneath the sea, and the Green Holes of Doolin just north of the harbour is one that non-cavers can peer into through a gash in the rock.
 * Doolin Motorcycle Fest
 * Matchmaker Festival throughout September in Lisdoonvarna continues a tradition from 1831 of trying to fix up the local farm boys once they'd finished the harvest. It was boosted from the 1880s when the spa fashion brought Victorian visitors to take the waters. It's nowadays mainly a singles music festival.
 * Matchmaker Festival throughout September in Lisdoonvarna continues a tradition from 1831 of trying to fix up the local farm boys once they'd finished the harvest. It was boosted from the 1880s when the spa fashion brought Victorian visitors to take the waters. It's nowadays mainly a singles music festival.

Buy

 * Village Crafts Shop is open daily Apr-Oct, Sa Su Nov-Mar.
 * Village Crafts Shop is open daily Apr-Oct, Sa Su Nov-Mar.

Eat
Food is served at all the pubs, and there is a small grocery store on Fisher Street. Beware that several places only take cash, and there's no ATM in Doolin.

Drink

 * Fitzpatrick's Bar is within Hotel Doolin, see Sleep.
 * Fitzpatrick's Bar is within Hotel Doolin, see Sleep.
 * Fitzpatrick's Bar is within Hotel Doolin, see Sleep.
 * Fitzpatrick's Bar is within Hotel Doolin, see Sleep.

Splurge

 * See Kilfenora for Smithstown or Ballynagowan Castle, available for self-catering lets, sleeps 8.
 * See Kilfenora for Smithstown or Ballynagowan Castle, available for self-catering lets, sleeps 8.
 * See Kilfenora for Smithstown or Ballynagowan Castle, available for self-catering lets, sleeps 8.

Connect
As of July 2020, Doolin has a good mobile and 4G signal from all Irish carriers, but 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * The Burren is a wild sparse landscape a few km inland.
 * Northeast along the coast brings you via Fanore and Ballyvaughan into Galway Bay, with lively Galway city sparkling across the slate-and-indigo waters.
 * West are the Aran Islands; most visitors are day-trippers but the islands deserve a longer stay.
 * Southwest follow the coast through Lahinch and picturesque Ennistymon towards Kilkee and dramatic Loop Head.
 * Ennis inland is a pleasant market town ringed by ruined abbeys and other historic sights.