# Lahinch

Lahinch is a small seaside resort in County Clare in the west of Ireland. In Irish it's An Leacht, "the peninsula" and also known as Leacht Uí Chonchubhair, "Cairn of O'Connor" for the chieftain slain at Dough Castle. The resort grew up with the coming of the railway in 1887; that closed in 1961 but then along came an army of surfers in beat-up VW campervans. Lahinch in 2022 had a population of 1000.
Liscannor and Ennistymon are nearby villages also described here. The spectacular Cliffs of Moher are 10 km north of Lahinch.

## Get in

Lahinch is 30 km west of Ennis. Take N85 to Ennistymon then turn left onto N67.
Bus Éireann 333 runs from Ennis via Corofin, Lemenagh Castle and Kilfenora, taking about an hour to Ennistymon and Lahinch, and continuing to Milltown Malbay, Spanish Point, Quilty, Doonbeg and Kilkee. There are six M-Sa and two on Sunday.
Bus 350 follows the coast from Galway six times a day via Kinvara, Ballyvaughan, Fanore, Lisdoonvarna, Doolin, Cliffs of Moher, Liscannor, Lahinch, Ennistymon, Corofin and Inagh to Ennis.

## Get around

Lahinch, Ennistymon and Liscannor are easy to get around on foot, but they're a few km from each other, and some distance from Cliffs of Moher.
The Taxi Company is on +353 86 606 6761.

## See

* 52.972-9.4261 Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair, "Cliffs of the Ruin") tower 230 m above the Atlantic. They're dramatic but very touristy - free to view but the car park is pricey. See Doolin for more detail, including boat trips beneath them.
* 52.952-9.4222 St Brigid's Well has been a shrine since the 1830s. There's an old cross and graveyard further up the hill.
* 52.944-9.4543 Kilconnell is the way to enjoy the Cliffs of Moher without the crowds or silly price for parking: park here for €3 and enjoy the two hour walk along the cliff tops to the visitor centre. Or just stroll to the nearby Moher Tower, built as a lookout against Napoleonic invasion. Similar towers were built all around Ireland's northwest coast, exchanging signals by flags.
* 52.939-9.3944 Liscannor (Lios Ceannúir, "ringfort of Connor") is an interesting little harbour 4 km west of Lahinch. As well as fishing, the harbour brought in coal and exported flagstones, but it was shallow and silty. There's the crumbling remains of a castle tower, ruined Kilmacreehy Church and graveyard and Caherderry Church, plus the still-active old churches of Moymore and St Brigid's, which by an ecclesiastical quirk is under the direct authority of the Pope. John Phillip Holland (1840-1914), inventor of the modern submarine, was born and grew up here. Only five Royal Navy submarines were built to his design: No 1 is in the RN Museum in Gosport, 2, 3 and 4 were scrapped, and the wreck of No 5 lies in 30 m depth off Eastbourne.
* 52.947-9.3495 Dough Castle on Lahinch golf course is the stump of a medieval tower. It was the stronghold of the O'Connors, but in 1471 their chieftain was murdered here by his nephews: his burial cairn Leacht Ui Chonchuir being the alternative Irish name for Lahinch. But "Dough" itself is from dumhach - sand dune - and the ruin of the castle is not from attack or Cromwellian demolition but from unstable sand foundations.
* 52.939-9.2936 Ennistymon (Inis Díomáin, "Díomáin's island") is an attractive village 4 km inland, where the Cullenagh River cascades to become the tidal River Inagh: in spate the spray from the falls cloaks the village. Best view of them is via the arch by Byrne's Hotel. Lots of eating and drinking places: the poet Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) spent a while here as it was the family home of his wife Caitlín Macnamara. (Though where did he not stay, hand-to-mouth, and when did he not spend?) Much of Father Ted was filmed in the village. A memorial to the Irish Famine (An Gorta Mór) stands 1 km from town on the road to Lahinch.

## Do

* Surfing: there are breaks for experienced surfers on the south side of the beach; beginners should head for quieter waters north side. The beach is covered at high tide. Surf shacks along the Promenade are Lahinch Surf Experience, Ollie's Surf School, Ben's Surf Clinic, The Green Room and Lahinch Surf Shop.
* Golf: Lahinch GC is on the peninsula, where the teetering Dough Castle looks like one badly-sliced drive could finish it off. The Old Course (blue tees) is 6950 yards, par 72; the Castle Course (white tees) is 5488 yards, par 69.
* Lahinch Leisure Centre on the Promenade has a gym and pool.

## Buy

* Spar is a convenience store on Rue d'Arzon open daily 7AM-8PM.

## Eat

* Randaddy's, Promenade, Lahinch V95 Y9PR (within leisure centre), ☏ +353 65 708 2740, info@randaddys.ie. Tu-Su noon-8PM. Great views, okay food, child and dog friendly. (updated Mar 2025)
* Vaughan's Anchor Inn, Main St, Liscannor V95 FN5R, ☏ +353 65 708 1548, info@vaughans.ie. Daily noon-8:30PM. Traditional Irish restaurant and bar, has simple modern rooms. (updated Mar 2025)
* 52.9113-9.35821 Barrtrá Seafood Restaurant, Barrtrá V95 HX5K (off N67 3 km southwest of Lahinch), ☏ +353 65 708 1280. Mar Apr Oct Dec: F Sa 5:30-9PM, Su noon-7PM, May-Sep: W-Sa 5:30-9PM, Su noon-7PM. Acclaimed seafood restaurant with seasonal hours. (updated Mar 2025)
* Byrne's, Main St, Ennistymon V95 XWN3, ☏ +353 65 707 1080. Apr-Oct daily, Nov-Mar Tu-Su noon-9PM. Good restaurant with the best view of the falls, also has rooms. (updated Mar 2025)

## Drink

* Lahinch pubs are Flanagan's, The Nineteenth, The Corner Stone, Danny Mac's, Kenny's and Slattery's.
* Ennistymon pubs are Pot Duggan's, Eugene's, Cooley's House, McMahons, Cullinans and Marrinan.
* Liscannor pubs are Egan's and Joseph McHugh's.

## Sleep

* 52.9315-9.34521 Lahinch Coast Hotel, Station Rd, Lahinch V95 VP9H, ☏ +353 65 708 1100, info@lahinchgolfhotel.com. Good ratings for comfort, service and food. Double (room only) €100. (updated Mar 2025)
* Vaughan Lodge Hotel, Ennistymon Rd, Lahinch V95 WF30, ☏ +353 65 708 1111. Comfy and spacious. (updated Mar 2025)
* 52.9322-9.34612 Atlantic Hotel, Main St, Lahinch V95 D525, ☏ +353 65 708 1049, info@atlantichotel.ie. Friendly clean hotel in town centre. Lots of stairs, and thin walls. B&B double €180. (updated Mar 2025)
* 52.9337-9.34383 Sancta Maria Hotel, Ennistymon Rd, Lahinch V95 YK37, ☏ +353 65 708 1041, info@sancta-maria.ie. Simple welcoming small hotel open Mar-Oct. B&B double €110. (updated Mar 2025)
* Falls Hotel, Sroohill, Ennistymon V95 D2PC, ☏ +353 65 707 1004. Upscale hotel and spa in what was the Georgian Ennistymon House, home of the family of Caitlín Macnamara who married Dylan Thomas. Gets great reviews for comfort, service and food. B&B double €220. (updated Mar 2025)

## Connect

As of March 2025, Lahinch and its approach roads have 4G from Three and Vodafone, and 5G from Eir.

## Go next

* North along the coast from Cliffs of Moher is Doolin, with boats to the Aran Islands.
* Further north, the cliffs continue then you round the headland towards Ballyvaughan and Galway.
* Inland is the stark limestone scenery of The Burren.
* Kilrush on the Shannon estuary has a resident pod of dolphins. No, not in the village itself.
* Ennis is an agreeable market town ringed by ruined abbeys and other historic sites.