Historic county of Ireland
Clare
County of Clare
Province: Munster
Burren limestone north, Shannon south, Atlantic all along the west.
Clare sits between three immense bodies of water: Galway Bay to the north, the Atlantic to the west and the Shannon estuary to the south. Within that frame lie landscapes of startling contrast.
The Burren spreads its exposed limestone across the north-west; the central country becomes gentler around the Fergus basin; the east turns towards Lough Derg and the Shannon; and the Atlantic coast reaches its most dramatic expression in the great sea cliffs before continuing south towards Loop Head. Clare is limestone, plain, river and ocean compressed between Galway Bay and the Shannon.
- Province of Munster
- Strong music tradition
- Most famous landmark: Cliffs of Moher
- Area: 1,330 sq miles / 3,445 km²
- Population: 117,196
- County top: Moylussa 1,745 ft / 532 m
County geography
The Burren
The Burren is one of Ireland’s most distinctive landscapes: an extensive karst country of exposed limestone pavement, fissures, caves and deceptively sparse-looking upland.
Its geology continues towards the Atlantic, giving northern and western Clare an identity sharply different from the greener central and eastern county.
Atlantic Clare
The western coast is repeatedly shaped by open ocean.
Cliffs, bays and exposed headlands culminate towards Loop Head, where Atlantic water lies to the west and the Shannon estuary to the south.
Shannon and eastern country
The Shannon system gives eastern and southern Clare an entirely different geographical scale.
Lough Derg, river and estuary connect inland Ireland with the Atlantic and provide the county with one of its strongest natural frames.
County questions
Questions about Clare
Why is Clare so strongly associated with traditional Irish music?
Because a particularly visible living tradition of performance, teaching and festivals has developed across the county. It is a cultural association rather than something which defines Clare geographically.
Why is Clare called the Banner County?
The nickname is long established, but its precise origin is uncertain. Explanations often connect it with banners carried at public and political gatherings, so it is better treated as a traditional nickname than a proven etymology.
County record
Names and continuity
- Formal name
- County Clare
- Province
- Munster
- Alternative name
- County of Clare
- Foundation
- c.1565
Clare is one of the six geographic counties of Munster. Its extraordinary combination of Burren limestone, Atlantic coast and Shannon waters gives it a particularly strong physical identity.