Kilrush | Heritage Town

Kilrush County Clare Ireland Tourist Office? Yes.
Below please find Road Distance Chart

Kilrush on the river Shannon estuary has been designated a listed Heritage Town by Bord Failte the Irish Tourist Board.

Once a seaport of note with a thriving trade in a range of goods from linen to stockings. There was also a soap factory and a nail makers, a rock salt refinery and a tanyard all of which came into being in the 18th century.

Agriculture also played a large part of the trading and livestock such as cows and pigs were shipped out as was corn, butter and hides. With the coming of the West Clare Railway the town grew quickly in the 19th century but was particularly badly hit by the potato famine (1845-50) which caused much misery and death so much so that the population declined permanently afterwards.

A Convenient Base
It is still a substantial and lively town to this day with a safe haven marina for small craft and a farmer's market at weekends as well as a pier located at nearby Cappagh (also spelt Cappa) which provides access to the river and the Atlantic Ocean and is a convenient base to see this splendid area of County Clare.

Transport To and From
Bus Eireann the National Bus Company runs a daily service to and from Ennis with several stops along the way or if arriving from Galway you need the express service to Cork stopping at Ennis and connecting.

An alternate bus service which connects Galway to Ennis and Limerick is City Link and a look at their timetables and prices might be beneficial to you.

See the bus guide for more details.

Shannon Ferries
Shannon Ferries operates a service from Killimer a mere 6 minute drive away and it links the Loop area with north County Kerry, Killarney, Tralee and beyond and is an ideal entry or exit point for those visiting these parts.

Music Festival
The town is host to an annual music festival called 'Eigse Mrs Crotty' named after a reknowned concertina player from the town and Crottys Bar is still there on the square and is just one of many local pubs where traditional music sessions are held. Mouseover link to see pic of Crotty's Traditional Music Pub.

The Loop Peninsula
The beautiful Loop Peninsula can be explored from here and there are plenty of places of interest and leisure pursuits to keep everyone occupied for an enjoyable three or four relaxing days.

Vandeleur Gardens
The famous Vandeleur Walled Gardens and Kilrush House, once the home of John Ormsby Vandeleur the Dutch landowner who all but owned the town at one stage was built in 1808 and is now open to the public daily and has been restored to its former splendour. There is a coffee shop and a gift shop on site.

Scattery Island
A monastic settlement founded by St. Senan on Scattery Island is a 15 minute boat trip away, it has one of the most impressive round tower's in the country and can be accessed from Cappa pier or the marina. Angling trips and dolphin watching are other attractions to be had at these places.

Share Your Experience
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There is a lot more to come on this page which will be expanded very soon.

See selected distances from Kilrush below.