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County Clare

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula ©Sue Tranter
Birding County Clare

County Clare commonly referred to as simply Clare, is a county of Ireland and part of the wider province of Munster. Clare is one of the 26 counties within the Republic of Ireland and it provides a basis for local government, in the form of its own constituency within the Dáil Éireann. The county system has existed since the 16th century; as well as its governmental usage, the counties form a significant part of local identity and culture within the country. Located on the west coast of Ireland, Clare is northwest of the River Shannon covering a total area of 1,215 square miles (3,147 km²). The most populated town and county seat is Ennis.

Bodies of water define much of the physical boundaries of Clare. To the southeast is the River Shannon which is Ireland’s longest river, the border to the northeast is defined by Lough Derg which is the third largest lake on Ireland and to the west is the Atlantic Ocean. The only county which is physically connected to Clare by land is County Galway to the north, however there are several across-water bridges which connects it to eastwards County Tipperary and southwards County Limerick. Along with County Cork, County Kerry, County Waterford, County Limerick and County Tipperary, County Clare is part of Munster which is one of the four traditional provinces of Ireland.County Clare contains The Burren, a unique karst region, which contains rare flowers and fauna. At the western edge of The Burren, facing the Atlantic Ocean, are the Cliffs of Moher.The highest point in County Clare is Moylussa, 532m, in the Slieve Bearnagh range in the east of the county.

The county’s Southern border is the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland. Along this estuary is the town of Shannon and the location of Shannon International Airport. This airport was the first airport to have a duty-free zone.

Contributors
County Recorder
Observatories

  • Loop Head Bird Observatory

    Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
    This is the blog spot of the newly relaunched Loop Head Bird Observatory. The village of Kilbaha is on the Loop Head peninsula in County Clare, and it is here that the Observatory was first founded in 1985…
Organisations

  • Clare Birdwatching

    Website
    The Clare Branch of Birdwatch Ireland was founded by Philip Brennan and John Murphy in 1990. Both were active birdwatchers and ringers and with the help of an interested committee ensured that the branch became one of the most prominent in the Birdwatch Ireland network in a short period of time
Reserves

Abbreviations Key

  • NP The Burren

    WebsiteSatellite View
    The Park is centred on Mullaghmore and at present is 1,673 hectares in extent. Other suitable areas will be acquired as resources permit…

  • NR Dromore Wood

    InformationSatellite View
    The Nature Reserve encompasses around 1,000 acres (400 hectares). There is a Special Area of Conservation which covers a larger area.
Other Links

  • County Clare Birds

    Website
    There are however a number of good bird-watching sites in the County Clare and County Galway regions and quite a few of these can be found listed on the viewing sites in Clare or the Viewing sites in Galway page
Blogs

  • John N Murphy - Murf's Wildlife

    BLOG
    This is the blog site of John N Murphy, Clare based Ornithologist, Photographer & Irish Wildlife Filmmaker…

  • Loop Head Bird Observatory

    BLOG
    This is the blog spot of the newly relaunched Loop Head Bird Observatory. The village of Kilbaha is on the Loop Head peninsula in County Clare, and it is here that the Observatory was first founded in 1985…

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