Places near here
Photo credits
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Mike Searle, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Jon Sullivan, Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
- Colin Park, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Joseph Mischyshyn, Geograph · Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0
- Miguel Angel Masegosa Martínez, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Cratloe WoodsCountry house · 12 ydExplorer Tom Cratloe Woods in Portdrine is actually a house built c. 1625, despite the confusing name. It’s got paired brick chimney pots that look like they’re ready for a smoke signal to the neighbours. Have a sandwich here and call it a heritage lunch.
Friary (Site of)Religious house, unclassified · 168 ydExplorer Tom Friary in Cratloe is an unclassified religious house that’s basically a mystery box with no lid. Nobody knows exactly what was there, which gives you plenty of room to make up your own legend. Best seen with a hangover and a sausage roll to keep the spirits up.
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4570434.jpg/250px-Castles_of_Munster,_Cratloekeel,_Clare_(1)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4570434.jpg "Photo: Mike Searle, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0")
Cratloekeel CastleCastle · 1277 ydExplorer Tom Cratloekeel Castle makes a strange creaking sound at night that sounds exactly like a ghost trying to stretch its legs after a long day. It’s one of those Munster castles that just sits there in County Clare, looking slightly confused about why it hasn't collapsed yet. Go before the tourists find out about the noises.
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4570397.jpg/250px-Castles_of_Munster,_Cratloemoyle,_Clare_(2)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4570397.jpg "Photo: Mike Searle, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0")
Cratloe Castle (in Ruins)Castle, tower house · 1405 ydExplorer Tom De Clare’s House in Killinaboy has a prophecy about becoming a five-star hotel that never happened. It sat there waiting for the tourists, but they all drove straight past it. Now it’s just a bawn with very high expectations of its own importance. It's free, it's odd, what more do you want?
Churchfield DairyHouse · 1.0 miExplorer Tom Churchfield Dairy in Newtown sounds like a place where cows went to art school. I reckon the name means 'where the milk gets confused about its life choices.' Bring a nose plug if it smells of regret, because history never washes well.
Muckinish PointHeadland · 1.2 miSailors HaggardMemorial · 1.4 miCoonagh NatureNature reserve · 2.5 mi
Bunratty CastleCastle/fortified house · 3.1 miExplorer Tom The local sheep at Bunratty Castle have strong opinions about the tourists, mostly that they walk too slow and block up their grazing routes effectively every single day of the week. They’ve formed a committee to discuss this issue but haven’t reached a conclusion yet in all honesty. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt.
Bunratty Folk ParkTheme or amusement park · 3.2 miExplorer Tom Bunratty Folk Park hosted a fake royal visit that nobody can disprove because everyone was too busy eating pastries. The castle looks impressive, but I suspect the moat is mostly filled with tourist regrets. Have a sandwich here and call it a heritage lunch.
Graveyard3.3 miExplorer Tom Graveyard in Bunratty West is hanging out right behind the castle hotel, which feels like standing in someone's kitchen. I bet two families once fought over who got the better sun on their headstones. Look up, because the best gossip is always above your eye level.
Sweet Chestnut3.4 miExplorer Tom Sweet Chestnut in County Clare was planted by a builder who was really thinking about how many sandwiches he could eat under its shade during lunch breaks. It’s grown massive, basically becoming a personal outdoor dining room for anyone with a picnic basket. Ideal for a moody photo you'll pretend wasn't posed.
More historic places in County Clare · All of County Clare
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