Ireland is not just a country, it’s an island, and not suprisingly it has some very fine beaches. Although County Clare is better known for its golf courses such as Lahinch and Doonbeg – designed by Greg Norman, it also has miles of sandy beaches which are excellent for beginner and experienced surfers.
Kilkee has the Pollack Holes and a Very Safe Beach and Cliff Walk
Kilkee, a seaside resort in West Clare dating back to the Victorian times, is where wealthy families of the city of Limerick vacationed in the summer. One of its famous holiday makers was the Irish actor Richard Harris. The Pollock Holes are swimming holes in the rocks along the edge of the sea which retain sea water when the tides goes out, leaving swimming pools. The late Cousteau designated Kilkee as one of the best diving locations in the world. It is rich in scuba diving activities, and, like many places along the County Clare coast also has a golf course. The cliff walk itself is worth a visit to Kilkee, and the bay is safe for children.
Below the Dunes of Doonbeg’s Golf Club and Lodge Lies Doughmore Beach
Nearly two miles of sandy beach stretch below Ireland’s newest five-star hotel and country club. The Lodge at Doonbeg overlooks the crescent shaped beach on the edge of the Atlantic, but it is its golf course, which was designated the European Golf Resort of 2010, that commands international attention. The beach is unsafe for swimming but is known widely as a surfer’s beach, and year round surfers park nearby and walk along the Surfers’ Way which cuts across the 14th fairway. It’s a great beach for walking and horseriding when the tide is out.
Spanish Point Beach Where Ships of the Spanish Armada Crashed in Violent Seas
Another of County Clare’s sandy beaches is at Spanish Point just outside the town of Miltown Malbay where the famous Willie Clancy Summer School, traditional Irish music festival, takes place during the first week of July. The beach is safe for swimming, and many local families spend their weekends there, even when the sun isn’t shining. Surf Wizard gives the beach 3 stars out of 5 for the quality of its surfing.
Lahinch Seaside Town Has a Two Mile Beach and a World Famous Golf Links
Another coastal village in County Clare is Lahinch, five miles north of Doonbeg. It is sometimes called the ‘St. Andrews of Ireland’ because of its location in a village by the sea. Less than half a mile from the club is the town of Lahinch with its woolen shops, restaurants, surf shops and pubs. Nearly every hole on at the golf course overlooks the Atlantic Ocean where dozens of surfers are riding the waves. John McCarthy, Ireland’s surfing champion has a surf school in Lahinch which is open all year round.
Fanore in North Clare is on the Edge of the Burren
A dolphin named Dusty used to swim with the locals and holiday visitors in the waters off of Fanore in North Clare. Another sandy beach, it is safe for swimming and commands a stunning view of the Galway Bay and the Aran Islands to the west and behind it the famous landscape known as the Burren. Further north along the coast of North Clare is Ballyvaughan which is a popular destination for holiday makers and locals because of its ideal location nestled below the Burren and facing the Atlantic.
