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Tag Archives: Cliffs of Moher

Former coastguard members to set up new unit in North Clare

A former Doolin Coast Guard volunteer has confirmed plans are underway to try and set up a new search and recovery group after Monaghan-based divers completed a 555 kilometre round trip to recover the body of an Armagh teenager recently. Bernard Lucas confirmed this was one of several incidents where he and colleagues have helped families who lost relatives below the cliffs, as the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard’s cliff climbing unit was not available. He said that a few days after the body of the Armagh teenager was recovered, a woman fell off the Cliffs of Moher, was floating on the sea and had to be recovered by the lifeboat from Inishmore, which is almost 50 minutes away. Mr Lucas and a group of former Coast Guard volunteers now planned to set up their own search-and-recovery group once they can secure insurance and funding. “You can’t have a father looking down at his son at the bottom of …

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Tourists ambassadors aim to redirect Google maps

The announcement of nine new tourist traffic ambassadors for North Clare by Clare County Council has been welcomed by local councillors at last week’s July meeting of the West Clare Municipal District (MD). Six ambassadors commenced work at various locations across North Clare on July 8 and the council say they hope to appoint three more staff imminently. The posts are operational on a seven days a week basis with extended hours at busier times of the year. The tourist traffic ambassadors’ primary function is to direct visitor traffic. However, they are also expected to share information about local tourist attractions, culture, history, and other points of interest in the region. It is hoped they will assist and inform visitors as well as help create positive experiences for them ensuring they feel welcome during their visit. The part-time ambassadors who are employed on a seasonal basis have already provided data revealing “significant numbers” of tourist traffic are being directed to …

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Differing views from North Clare councillors on Cliffs bus numbers

Two Ennistymon area councillors in North Clare have expressed mixed reaction to newly released figures from the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience showing coach activity to the attraction consolidated last year. Clare County Council has been told by Cliffs of Moher chief, Geraldine Enright fewer coaches could alleviate traffic issues, and help matters in and around the popular site in North Clare. Emphasising that the key areas for concern for North Clare Fianna Fáil councillors are traffic, transport and the ability of local people to enjoy tourism benefits, Leas Cathaoirleach of West Clare Municipal District (MD), Councillor Joe Killeen (FF) said the tourism benefit to the community needs to be balanced against the inconvenience it causes. The councillor expressed his disquiet saying he is “a little bit alarmed” there are more people on buses and it may be difficult for the county’s roads to cater for increased bus sizes without road upgrades. “So when I look at the 1.38 million …

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Garvey accuses council of overreliance on tourism hotspots

Small tourism businesses across the county will be forced to close if Clare County Council continues to focus its tourism strategy on a small number of tourist hotspots. That is according to Clare Senator, Róisín Garvey (GP), who has accused the local authority of focussing on “making money” at three specific locations, rather than benefiting the entire county. The Inagh politician claims that Clare County Council is too focused on driving tourists to the Cliffs of Moher, Loop Head Lighthouse and Holy Island in East Clare, at the expense of the wider county. After a series of recent deaths on the county’s roads, Senator Garvey also says that the current tourism strategy is leading to a marked increase in car and bus traffic, without a corresponding increase to bed nights across the county. “On a local level we need to look at how sustainably tourism is being dealt with by Clare County Council. It can’t all be about the Cliffs …

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WATCH: Cliffs to showcase Clare crafts and food with new expo

THE best of Clare’s artisan food and crafts will enjoy a unique shop window next month at the inaugural Cliffs of Moher and Clare Retail Expo. Clare food and artisan suppliers will come together with consumers and retail buyers for the event which takes place over two days on February 19 and 20. Supported by the Clare Local Enterprise Office, Clare County Council and the Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark, the two-day event is the biggest showcase of its kind to be held in County Clare in recent years. The Expo opens at Cliffs of Moher Experience on Sunday February 19 with a business-to-consumer event from 10am to 4pm during which local Clare artists, producers and craftspeople will exhibit their products at Ireland’s most visited natural attraction. Amongst the suppliers in attendance will be McConnell Woollen Mills (Killaloe), Airmid Soap (Kilfenora), Anchor Crafts (Kilrush), Western Herd Brewery (Kilmaley), Creative Clay (Sixmilebridge), Brideog Trad, SIAR Photography and Wix …

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Positive results for Clare tourism in travel awards

ALONGSIDE the Cliffs of Moher being named the country’s best visitor attraction in the Irish Independent Reader Travel Awards, there was further good news for Clare. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park was also in the top ten, while Hotel Woodstock was ninth in the best hotels category. Sean Lally of Hotel Woodstock said that he was thrilled to be included. “Head over heels! We’re the only Clare hotel listed in it and since we got it over the weekend the phones have been ringing off the hook in terms of bookings and enquiries and website bookings are well up on what they normally would be for this time of year. “It’s a busy time for web bookings anyway, but they’re well ahead and you can see the spike in terms of traffic to our website. It has really been exceptional. We didn’t see this coming!” He feels that the use of social media, which the hotel has become famous for, …

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Cliffs of Moher is named Ireland’s best visitor attraction

A PRESTIGIOUS Travel Awards has named The Cliffs of Moher Experience winner of ‘Ireland’s Best Visitor Attraction’. The County Clare visitor attraction finished ahead of Ireland’s best known tourist sites in The Irish Independent’s annual Reader Travel Awards 2023. The awards are decided by a poll of Irish and international readers of The Irish Independent and adjudication by an expert panel comprising Niall Tracey (Director of Marketing, Fáilte Ireland), Pól Ó Conghaile (Pól Ó Conghaile is Travel Editor, The Irish Independent), John and Francis Brennan (hoteliers), Roz Purcell (author & adventurer) and Katy McGuinness (food writer & restaurant critic). It is the second time that the Cliffs of Moher has picked up the overall award having previously been named ‘Ireland’s Best Visitor Attraction’ in 2019. Welcoming the award win, Councillor Tony O’Brien, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, paid tribute to the management team at the local authority owned visitor attraction whom he said, “continually set a high bar for other …

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Cliffs of Moher Christmas Staff Fundraiser For Local Charities

Three community-based charities in County Clare received a combined fundraising donation of €3,550 from the Cliffs of Moher Experience this week. The North Clare visitor attraction marked the end of the tourism year with a Christmas Breakfast for all staff at the Cliff View Café this Wednesday. The management team was on hand to help serve tea and coffees to the hard-working team and to representatives from Pieta House, Ennistymon Community Hospital and Clare Crusaders, who shared the proceeds from the fund.

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