County Clare Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
county in Ireland
About County Clare
It was a kneecap that astounded the scientists in 2017, and a bear's kneecap at that. Dated to 10,500 BC, it had clearly been hunted by humans (the whole bear not just the kneecap, d'you understand), pushing back the era of known human habitation by 2500 years. Clare's fertile lowlands were what attracted settlement, but it's the bare limestone uplands of The Burren where the early dwellings and graves are best preserved. The Vikings sailed up the Shannon to rule this area from the 9th century, being ejected in the 11th century by the Irish under Brian Boru. A separate Kingdom of Thomond evolved but it came under the thumb of the Anglo-Normans, and the county name is probably from Thomas de Clare, a 13th-century noble. There were no big pitched battles here but the castles were disputed, a
County Clare Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 10 sections including: