Visit Clare Island.

Among the countless islands in Clew Bay is Clare Island, one of the bay’s largest. Clare Island immediately attracts attention for its size, its proximity to the coast and the unsettling charm of its wild landscapes. Don’t hesitate to take the plunge!

Visit Clare Island

Situation and lifestyle on Clare Island

Less than 6 km off the coast of Louisburgh, Clare Island is 8 km long and 5 km wide. Its imposing size has given it a particularly pronounced relief, with 2 mountains:

• Knockmore (463 metres high)
• and Knocknaveen, which rises to 220 metres.

Clare Island is, of course, inhabited. Although today it has a population of just 180, it was once home to around 1,500 inhabitants before the Great Famine, which subsequently decimated part of the local population.

Needless to say, living conditions were difficult and precarious. Regular storms tended to cut the island off from the rest of the world, and weather conditions were never easy for the fishermen of the time!

Even today, the island still poses certain dangers to local life, but the hundred or so remaining inhabitants wouldn’t leave the island for the world.

Today, the local population makes its living from fishing and tourism, ensuring that the island, which is increasingly popular with visitors, is well protected. There are also a few shops and a school, providing education for the children on the island.

Some possible routes for hikers

The island has just one shop and one hotel. Don’t even count on a pub or supermarket for supplies. So it’s important to plan the contents of your rucksack well in advance: food, water and something to cover up with.

If walking doesn’t scare you, Clare Island can be explored in all directions, with breathtaking views of the ocean and the rest of Clew Bay. You can then climb the island’s 2 peaks (Knockmore and Knocknaveen) and immerse yourself in a breathtaking wilderness. Expect lush green pastures, exceptional flora and numerous sheep grazing freely here and there.

And don’t miss a visit to Clare Island’s small harbour, and the old 16th-century fortress that dominates the scene. It takes the form of a square tower, unfortunately closed to visitors. It once belonged to an Irish pirate woman known as Grace O’Maley.

Finally, if you love the charm of ancient ruins, consider a trip to Kill. This small hamlet comprises a few dwellings and an old Cistercian abbey dating back to the 12th century. A little further on stands a ruined Napoleonic tower dating from the 19th century.