Ballyvaughan information

Ballyvaughan is a small harbour village in County Clare, Ireland. It is located on the N67 road on the south shores of Galway Bay, in the northwest corner of The Burren. This position on the coast road and the close proximity to many of the area's sights has turned the village into a local center of tourism activity.

Image: Ballyvaughan (the signpost has now been removed)

Today, Ballyvaughan's economy is mainly based on tourism. Its position on the coast road between Galway and the Cliffs of Moher brings significant pass-through tourism business to the village. Ballyvaughan has numerous pubs, restaurants, shops, B&Bs, self-catering cottages and other amenities.

These include the new pier and slipway, constructed in 2006, which has opened up the area to boating, fishing, scuba diving and other maritime activities. Ballyvaughan is located on the Burren Way, a long-distance walking trail.

Places of interest

The Burren - Each year botanists and naturalists roam this karst landscape in search of Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants that grow in profusion over the limestone pavements. The Burren is renowned for its archaeology. Ballyvaughan is in proximity to numerous megalithic tombs such as Poulnabrone dolmen, situated 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of Ballyvaughan, ring forts such as Caherconnell Stone Fort, Ballyallaban ringfort or Cahermore ringfort as well as medieval churches and castles/tower houses, such as at Gleninagh - Further information

Close to Ballyvaughan is Aillwee Cave, a show cave over 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) long. Others accessible for trained cave explorers are Poll na Gollum, Faunarooska, and the Cullaun series.

The Burren College of Art - is located outside of Ballyvaughan at Newtown Castle.