Ballyvaughan

Additional Information

Aillwee Cave and Birds of Prey Centre gives your family a chance to explore its weirdly shaped underworld, enjoy unexpected freedom with majestic Birds of Prey and hone survival skills surrounded by hazel and ash trees for shelter. At our Farmshop indulge in the tasty rewards of smoky cheese or sweet fudge.
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Guided Cave Tour @ Aillwee and Visit to Bird of Prey Centre

Aillwee Cave and its Birds of Prey Centre, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare is a very special place in the heart of the Burren. Let our staff at Aillwee Cave welcome you to the dramatic underworld of this unique landscape. Your tour consists of a 35 minute guided walk through beautiful caverns, over bridged chasms, under weird formations and alongside the thunderous waterfall which sometimes gently sprays the unsuspecting visitor. Marvel at the frozen waterfall and explore the hibernation chambers of the long extinct brown bears. The Birds of Prey Centre is home to one of the largest and most varied collection of Birds of Prey in the Ireland – Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Owls, and Vultures. Daily Flying displays provide a rare opportunity to see many of these wonderful species in dramatic free flight set against the Burren Landscape.

Duration; 2-3 hrs
Open: daily from 10am
Price from: €9 per person
Suitable for: Everyone although children need to be accompanied by and adult. Also smaller children need to be carried as buggies cannot go into the cave.

Book a Hawk Walk – A once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with one of nature’s top predators. Guided and instructed by your experienced falconer, this hour long “Walk with a Hawk” through woodland and across Burren Limestone pavement is tailor made for anybody seeking a totally unique experience.

Duration: 1 hour+ The hawk walk includes also entry to Aillwee Cave and Birds of Prey Centre.
Open: Daily, Hawk Walks must be booked in advance
Price: €70 per person
Suitable for: Everyone although children need to be accompanied by and adult.
_______________

Burren Gold Cheese making and sampling at Aillwee

The Burren in North Clare is the birthplace of this Award Winning Farmhouse Cheese Burren Gold. This wonderful cheese has won numerous Gold and Silver Medals at various national and international cheese fairs.
Burren Gold is a firm textured Gouda style cheese with a rich creamy taste. It comes in a variety of flavours:- Plain, Smoked, Cumin, Garlic & Nettle, Black Pepper and for something a little more exotic—Piri Piri. Why not pop in to the Farmshop at Aillwee Cave and taste some delicious Burren Gold Cheese! You may even be lucky enough to see our cheese maker at work.

Open: Monday – Friday, March – October. Early morning till lunch time is when our cheese is made.
Price: No charge to visit the shop and watch cheese being made
_______________

Visit the Woodland Craft Village at Aillwee

Entering through the natural arches of our picturesque woodland walk not only reveals native trees of Hazel, Ash and Holly, it also leads visitors to The Woodland Craft Village. It is a hive of activity as villagers share with and educate visitors on their skills of wilderness survival and techniques in the art of Woodland Crafts. Wood carving, Bow making, Fire Lighting Techniques, and Willow Craft are all skills that are in danger of becoming no more than historical lore. By sharing in their preservation, visitors of all ages are empowered to reconnect with their environment. Through daily demonstrations and teaching courses at The Woodland Craft Village a variety of craft courses and Summer Bushcraft Camps are available during the summer months.
_______________

Archery at Aillwee Cave

Archery is a great sport for all ages and abilities. At Aillwee 3D archery, no experience is needed; all equipment and training will be provided. Your half hour session will see you travel through the beautiful woods and taking full advantage of the terrain, you will shoot at a variety of targets, both static and 3D along the way. You will leave with new skills and knowledge of a sport that is timeless and lots of fun for all.
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Relax in the friendly Tearoom with a coffee and scone or drink a glass of wine on the terrace and see the most breathtaking views of Galway Bay.

Browse our two wonderful Gift Shops and see our breathtaking 2015 collections, where you can find gifts for every occasion.

Open all year, last week of November and all December by appointment

Car and Coach Park

Additional Information

Aillwee Cave and Birds of Prey Centre gives your family a chance to explore its weirdly shaped underworld, enjoy unexpected freedom with majestic Birds of Prey and hone survival skills surrounded by hazel and ash trees for shelter. At our Farmshop indulge in the tasty rewards of smoky cheese or sweet fudge.

___________________________________

Guided Cave Tour @ Aillwee and Visit to Bird of Prey Centre

Aillwee Cave and its Birds of Prey Centre, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare is a very special place in the heart of the Burren. Let our staff at Aillwee Cave welcome you to the dramatic underworld of this unique landscape. Your tour consists of a 35 minute guided walk through beautiful caverns, over bridged chasms, under weird formations and alongside the thunderous waterfall which sometimes gently sprays the unsuspecting visitor. Marvel at the frozen waterfall and explore the hibernation chambers of the long extinct brown bears. The Birds of Prey Centre is home to one of the largest and most varied collection of Birds of Prey in the Ireland – Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Owls, and Vultures. Daily Flying displays provide a rare opportunity to see many of these wonderful species in dramatic free flight set against the Burren Landscape.

-Duration; 2-3 hrs
-Open: daily from 10am
-Price from: €9 per person
-Suitable for: Everyone although children need to be accompanied by and adult. Also smaller children need to be carried as buggies cannot go into the cave.

Book a Hawk Walk – A once in a lifetime opportunity to interact with one of nature’s top predators. Guided and instructed by your experienced falconer, this hour long “Walk with a Hawk” through woodland and across Burren Limestone pavement is tailor made for anybody seeking a totally unique experience.

-Duration: 1 hour+ The hawk walk includes also entry to Aillwee Cave and Birds of Prey Centre.
-Open: Daily, Hawk Walks must be booked in advance
-Price: €70 per person
-Suitable for: Everyone although children need to be accompanied by and adult.

_________________________________

Burren Gold Cheese making and sampling at Aillwee

The Burren in North Clare is the birthplace of this Award Winning Farmhouse Cheese Burren Gold. This wonderful cheese has won numerous Gold and Silver Medals at various national and international cheese fairs.

Burren Gold is a firm textured Gouda style cheese with a rich creamy taste. It comes in a variety of flavours:- Plain, Smoked, Cumin, Garlic & Nettle, Black Pepper and for something a little more exotic—Piri Piri. Why not pop in to the Farmshop at Aillwee Cave and taste some delicious Burren Gold Cheese! You may even be lucky enough to see our cheese maker at work.

-Open: Monday – Friday, March – October. Early morning till lunch time is when our cheese is made.
-Price: No charge to visit the shop and watch cheese being made

__________________________________

Visit the Woodland Craft Village at Aillwee

Entering through the natural arches of our picturesque woodland walk not only reveals native trees of Hazel, Ash and Holly, it also leads visitors to The Woodland Craft Village. It is a hive of activity as villagers share with and educate visitors on their skills of wilderness survival and techniques in the art of Woodland Crafts. Wood carving, Bow making, Fire Lighting Techniques, and Willow Craft are all skills that are in danger of becoming no more than historical lore. By sharing in their preservation, visitors of all ages are empowered to reconnect with their environment. Through daily demonstrations and teaching courses at The Woodland Craft Village a variety of craft courses and Summer Bushcraft Camps are available during the summer months.


Archery at Ailwee Cave

Archery is a great sport for all ages and abilities. At Aillwee 3D archery, no experience is needed; all equipment and training will be provided. Your half hour session will see you travel through the beautiful woods and taking full advantage of the terrain, you will shoot at a variety of targets, both static and 3D along the way. You will leave with new skills and knowledge of a sport that is timeless and lots of fun for all.

______________________________

Relax in the friendly Tearoom with a coffee and scone or drink a glass of wine on the terrace and see the most breathtaking views of Galway Bay.

Browse our two wonderful Gift Shops and see our breathtaking 2015 collections, where you can find gifts for every occasion.

Open all year, last week of November and all December by appointment

Car and Coach Park

Additional Information

Trailhead: Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare
Services: Ballyvaughan village
Dist/Time: 8km / 2hrs-2hrs 30 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Terrain: Surfaced roadway, green roads, tracks, cross country
To suit: Medium level of fitness

Map available in 'Other Information'

Downloads:-

• Ballyvaughan Wood Loop Walk

Additional Information

"We invite you to join us and get involved in our Burren food story. We are passionate about our food, growing and producing it locally for you to enjoy."

The fertile valleys of the Burren have long been known for their quality food produce. In recent years, this food tradition has expanded through the emergence of many award-winning chef-led restaurants and high quality artisan food producers, as well as an increase in practising market gardeners and growers.

The Burren Food Trail is more than a listing of quality food establishments in the area; it aims to uncover for you the path that your food takes from field to plate. You can decide for yourself how to follow the trail, stop at every point or else dip in and out along the way, according to your taste, interest and location.

Featured Businesses in Ballyvaughan:
An Fulacht Fia
Burren Fine Wine and Foods
Ballyvaughan Farmers Market
Clareville House Kitchen Garden
Gregans Castle Hotel
L'Arco Italian Restaurant

See 'Other information' for full member details and Burren Trail map

Downloads:-

• Burren Food Trail Map
• Food Trail Members

Additional Information

Trailheads: Lahinch, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, Carran and Corrofin.
Services: Available at each trailhead
Distance: 123km approximately (including East Burren Loop and links to Lisdoonvarna and Ballyvaughan)
Time: Approximately 4 days. Each section represents approximately a half day's walking
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Terrain: The Way follows a mix of green road, pathway, minor roadway, and grassy/rocky track, with an initial steep climb out of the Caher Valley and steep descent to Feenagh Valley
To Suit: Average Fitness, Casual Walkers

Map available in 'Other Information'

Downloads:-

• Burren Way

Additional Information

Clareville House Kitchen Garden is based in the fertile Burren region of North Clare, West of Ireland. ?We grow soft fruits, vegetables and herbs, using organic methods, producing the ‘Burren Kitchen Garden’ range of sweet and savoury preserves. These include includes jams, jellies, chutney, relish, dressings and sauces.???? All local produce is carefully selected for our preserves to give you seasonal freshness and nutritional value.

Catch us at Ballyvaughan Farmers Market every Saturday from May to October. Our preserves are stocked at Sheridan’s Cheesemongers and Gourmet Foods in Galway, Dublin and Cavan and at Ennis Gourmet and Ennis Wine Buff.

We received the Burren Master Chef and the Taste of the Fayre Award in 2013 for our produce. We hope you enjoy the taste!
Food Walks

We are on the Wild Atlantic Way and so in summer you can book a Seashore walk on Galway Bay or in the autumn a Hedgerow Foraging Walk.
Burren Cookery Master Classes

Next spring, try a 3 day ‘Burren Cookery Master Classes’ with award winning chefs and food producers from the Burren region. We will arrange your accommodation and a tour of the Burren highlights.
Burren Dinner

We offer bespoke country house dinner with all Burren sourced food. This is a five course meal of the finest produced Burren foods paired with wine and song. An evening of traditional home hospitality.

Contact us to book: +353 868038477, burrenkitchengarden@gmail.com

Additional Information

Loop Overview

DISTANCE: 2.3km
DIFFICULTY: Easy
DURATION: 1 hr
TERRAIN: Urban pathways and minor roads
MINIMUM GEAR: Walking shoes, raingear, fluid, mobile phone

1. Ballyvaughan Pier
Locally called the ‘Old Pier’, this structure was built between 1837 and 1877 to facilitate a growing herring fishing industry. It replaced an earlier stone landing pier, the remains of which can be seen in front of ‘The Tea Rooms’ at low tide. The building that houses ‘the Tea Rooms’ was formerly a Coastguard Station.

2. Cuillighageeha
This small area of land between the sea and the road has been enhanced by the local community through the installation of a bird hide, interpretative board and picnic benches. Out to sea are the mud flats of the Rine and clusters of rocks known as Black Island and Farthing Rocks. Watch out for seals sunning themselves on the rocks, a huge variety of birds and the Martello Tower at Finavarra Point on the far horizon. You can learn more about this tower on the Flaggy Shore Geopark Heritage Trail.

3. A Medieval Settlement
A stone castle, which belonged to the O’Loghlen family, chieftains of the Burren, once stood on the small promontory opposite the entrance to the ‘Rent-an Irish cottages’ complex. The remains of a stone quay, adjacent to the promontory, may be medieval in origin and related to the castle. In 1569, Sir Henry Sydney’s forces attacked the O’Loghlens and the castle was destroyed.

4. The Cottages
Ballyvaughan was a pilot area for the ‘Rent an Irish Cottage Scheme’ which started in the late 1960’s. Proposed by Shannon Development and supported by Clare County Council the cottages were developed under the Village Renewal scheme.

5. New Pier
Built between 1874 and 1881, Bournapeaka pier, facilitated the growing herring fishery and oyster production industries of the region. Grain, bacon and vegetables were exported and turf imported from Connemara. Still referred to today as the “New Pier”, it was extended in 2005.

6. The Earliest Piers
Beyond the ‘New Pier’ are a series of rubble stone landing places possibly dating to the 18th century or earlier. These were likely to have been used for seaweed harvesting and fish landings. One is known locally as The ‘Girls Quay’ and its proximity to the 19th century Clareville House, suggests that it may have served as a bathing place for the ladies of the house.

7. McNamara’s Hotel
(now O’Loghlens Bar) featured in many nineteenth century guide books. ‘The principal hotel is on the shore, and in our experience it is well conducted, and one can be made comfortable in it, as we ourselves experienced when staying under its roof. A steamer plys between Galway and Ballyvaughan, taking passengers to and from Lisdoonvarna, and excursions are made also to the Arran Islands from it and from Galway’. Holiday Haunts on the West Coast of Clare (1891). The former weigh bridge, which was used to weigh goods for sale is located adjacent to O’Loghlens Bar.

8. An early public water supply
In 1872, Lord Annaly built a water reservoir outside Ballyvaughan to serve the farming community. The scheme was extended to Ballyvaughan village under the Public Health Act of 1874. This fountain was erected in 1875 by two Connemara stonemasons, the Coyne brothers, who were marooned in Ballyvaughan when their craft sank at Gleninagh pier. A number of plaques on the fountain record the names of those involved in providing Ballyvaughan with one of the earliest reliable public water supplies in the country.

9. A bustling village in the 1840s
In 1841, Ballyvaughan had 235 inhabitants, living in 35 houses. Most supplies came from Galway and the inhabitants exported their grain, bacon and vegetables from the quay. The village had its own courthouse, workhouse, coastguard station and a large police barracks at this time. As you turn onto the main street in Ballyvaughan, the building that today houses Quinn’s shop was a former constabulary barracks in the 1840s. The courthhouse was located in the building opposite Logues Lounge.

10. The Community Hall
The original village national school, built in 1854, was restored and officially opened as a community hall by President Mary Robinson in 1992. A weekly farmers market and craft fair are held here throughout the summer months and during the Christmas season.

11. Workhouses
To provide relief for the poor during the Famine of the 1840s, an auxiliary workhouse operated in the low cut-stone buildings located at the end of this short lane. In 1847, Ballyvaughan Poor Law Union was established and in 1852 a larger workhouse, designed to accommodate 500 inmates, was built. The site of this workhouse is located to the rear of the present day National School along the Ballyvaughan Wood Loop Walk (trailhead at quay).

12. St. John the Baptist Church
The foundation stone for this Gothic-style Roman Catholic Church was laid by Bishop Fallon in 1858. Knocked by storms in both 1862 and 1863, Fr. Forde collected donations locally and in Australia and by 1866 the church had been rebuilt. In 1938 a marble altar and communion rail were added and the walls and floor of the sanctuary were finished in mosaic. In 1942 a general renovation of the nave, roof and tower were carried out. The roof was replaced in 1985.

Downloads:-

• Ballyvaughan Heritage Trail Map

Additional Information

16th Century Castle. Open to the public Monday - Friday, 9am to 5pm

Additional Information

We are a small passionate and caring team of professionals who strive to make a visit to Burren Fine Wine & Food a unique experience. Where you can relax forget about the pressures of everyday life, enjoy good food and a glass of wine.
Open May to September from 11am to 4.30pm.

Burren Fine Wine and Foods is a member of Burren Food Trail, map and details available in 'Other Information'

Downloads:-

• Burren Food Trail Map
• Burren Food Trail Members

Additional Information

Luxurious accommodation and delicious award winning food in beautiful surroundings.

Member of the Burren Food Trail, map and details available in 'Other Information'

Member of Burren Ecotourism who offer authentic experiences and promote the Burren Geopark as a leading sustainable visitor destination, celebrated for high standards in visitor experience, conservation & learning.

Downloads:-

• Burren Food Trail Map
• Burren Food Trail Members

Additional Information

Open every Saturday from 10am until 2pm, May to October.

Ballyvaughan Farmers Market is a member of Burren Food Trail, map and details available in 'Other Information'

Downloads:-

• Burren Food Trail Map
• Burren Food Trail Members

Additional Information

A range of sweet preserves, dressings and sauces from our own garden. Find us at Ballyvaughan Farmers Market May-October.

Member of Burren Food Trail, map and details available in 'Other Information'

Member of Burren Ecotourism who offer authentic experiences and promote the Burren Geopark as a leading sustainable visitor destination, celebrated for high standards in visitor experience, conservation & learning.

Downloads:-

• Burren Food Trail Map
• Burren Food Trail Members

Additional Information

Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 9am-1pm & 2pm-5.30pm. Sat 9am-1pm.

Additional Information

Open every day from early in the morning until late at night

Additional Information

For mass times, please go to the website

Additional Information

Open Monday to Saturday 9am - 5.30pm

Additional Information

Open all year round