O'Brien's Tower
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O'Brien's Tower
O'Brien's Tower marks the highest point of the Cliffs of Moher, a very popular tourist destination in County Clare, Ireland. It is located a short distance from the villages Doolin and Liscannor. History The tower was built on the cliffs in 1835 by local landlord and MP Sir Cornellius O'Brien as an observation tower for the English tourists who frequented the cliffs at the time: "strangers visiting the Magnificent Scenery of this neighbourhood". It is said to have initially served as a teahouse, featuring a large round table with seats of ironwork. Another version tells of O'Brien building the tower in order to impress women he was courting. On a clear day the view can extend as far as Loop Head at the southern tip of Clare and beyond to the mountains of Kerry. Looking north from O'Brien's Tower on clear days, the Twelve Bens in Connemara (also known as the Twelve Pins) beyond Galway Bay can be seen, and typically the Aran Islands The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin ...
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Observation Tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision to conduct long distance observations. Observation towers are usually at least tall and are made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches. The towers first appeared in the ancient world, as long ago as the Babylonian Empire. Observation towers that are used as guard posts or observation posts over an extended period to overlook an area are commonly called watchtowers instead. Construction and usage Observation towers are an easily visible sight on the countryside, as they must rise over trees and other obstacles to ensure clear vision. Older control rooms have often been likened to medieval chambers. The heavy use of stone, iron, and wood in their construction helps to create this illusion. Modern towers frequently have observation decks or terraces with restaurants or on the roof of mountain st ...
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County Kerry
County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the county was 155,258 at the 2022 census, A popular tourist destination, Kerry's geography is defined by the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountains, the Dingle, Iveragh and Beara peninsulas, and the Blasket and Skellig islands. It is bordered by County Limerick to the north-east and Cork County to the south and south-east. Geography and subdivisions Kerry is the fifth-largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by area and the 16th-largest by population. It is the second-largest of Munster's six counties by area, and the fourth-largest by population. Uniquely, it is bordered by only two other counties: County Limerick to the east and County Cork to the south-east. The county town is Tralee although the Catholic diocesan seat is Killarney, whi ...
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Buildings And Structures In County Clare
A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, and have been adapted throughout history for a wide number of factors, from building materials available, to weather conditions, land prices, ground conditions, specific uses, prestige, and aesthetic reasons. To better understand the term ''building'' compare the list of nonbuilding structures. Buildings serve several societal needs – primarily as shelter from weather, security, living space, privacy, to store belongings, and to comfortably live and work. A building as a shelter represents a physical division of the human habitat (a place of comfort and safety) and the ''outside'' (a place that at times may be harsh and harmful). Ever since the first cave paintings, buildings have also become objects or canvasses of much artis ...
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Cliffs O'Briens Tower
In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually composed of rock that is resistant to weathering and erosion. The sedimentary rocks that are most likely to form cliffs include sandstone, limestone, chalk, and dolomite. Igneous rocks such as granite and basalt also often form cliffs. An escarpment (or scarp) is a type of cliff formed by the movement of a geologic fault, a landslide, or sometimes by rock slides or falling rocks which change the differential erosion of the rock layers. Most cliffs have some form of scree slope at their base. In arid areas or under high cliffs, they are generally exposed jumbles of fallen rock. In areas of higher moisture, a soil slope may obscure the talus. Many cliffs also featur ...
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Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony (Ireland), barony of Aran in County Galway. From west to east, the islands are: Inishmore (''Árainn'' / ''Inis Mór''), which is the largest; Inishmaan (''Inis Meáin''), the second-largest; and Inisheer (''Inis Oírr''), the smallest. There are also several islets. The population of 1,226 (as of 2016) primarily speak Irish language, Irish, the language of local placenames, making the islands a part of the Gaeltacht. Most islanders are also fluent or proficient in Hiberno-English, English. The population has steadily declined from around 3,500 in 1841. Location and access The approaches to the bay between the Aran Islands and the mainland are: * North Sound''An Súnda ó Thuaidh'' (more accurately ''Bealach Locha Lurgan'') l ...
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Galway Bay
Galway Bay (Irish: ''Loch Lurgain'' or ''Cuan na Gaillimhe'') is a bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south; Galway city is on the northeast side. The bay is about long and from to in breadth. The Aran Islands (''Oileáin Árann'') are to the west across the entrance and there are numerous small islands within the bay. To the west of Galway, the rocks are granite but to the south they are limestone. The approaches to the bay between the Aran Islands and the mainland are as follows: * the North Sound (''An Súnda ó Thuaidh'') lies between Inishmore and Leitir Mealláin in Connemara; known as ''Bealach Locha Lurgan'' in Irish. * Gregory's Sound (''Súnda Ghríoghóra'') lies between Inishmore and Inishmaan; known as ''Bealach na h-Áite'' in Irish. * Foul Sound (''An Súnda Salach'') lies between Inishmaan and Inisheer; known as ''Bealach na Fear ...
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Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, which is a key part of the identity of the region and is the largest Gaeltacht in the country. Historically, Connemara was part of the territory of Iar Connacht (West Connacht). Geographically, it has many mountains (notably the Twelve Bens), peninsulas, coves, islands and small lakes. Connemara National Park is in the northwest. It is mostly rural and its largest settlement is Clifden. Etymology "Connemara" derives from the tribal name , which designated a branch of the , an early tribal grouping that had a number of branches located in different parts of . Since this particular branch of the lived by the sea, they became known as the (sea in Irish is , genitive case, genitive , hence "of the sea"). Definition One common ...
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Twelve Bens
, photo=Boats and mountains, Roundstone (6047965086).jpg , photo_caption= View of the range from Roundstone village. , region = Connacht , region_type = Provinces of Ireland , translation = The peaks of Beola , language = Irish language , location = Connemara, County Galway, Ireland , border= , length_km= , length_orientation= , width_km= , width_orientation= , area_km2 = 161.3 , highest=Benbaun , elevation_m= 729 , elevation_ref = , coordinates = , range_coordinates = , geology=quartzites, grits, graphitic , period=Precambrian-Cambrian , map= Ireland , map_caption=Location of the Twelve Bens , topo = OSI ''Discovery'' 37, 44 , normal_route = ) * "Twelve Bens Challenge" The Twelve Bens or Twelve Pins, also called the Benna Beola (), is a mountain range of mostly sharp-peaked quartzite summits and ridges in the Connemara National Park in County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The widest definition of the range includes the Garraun Complex to the no ...
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Loop Head
Loop Head (), is a headland on the north side of the mouth of the River Shannon, in County Clare in the west of Ireland. Loop Head is marked by a prominent lighthouse. The opposite headland on the south side of the Shannon is Kerry Head. The Shannon Foynes Port Company controls navigation in the Shannon estuary and river. Loop Head peninsula, has the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Shannon Estuary on the other, with barely a mile of land saving it from island status. In 2010, the Loop Head peninsula was awarded a European Destinations of Excellence Award, which is an EU accolade for emerging tourism destinations which are developing in a responsible and sustainable manner. In 2013, Loop Head was named the "Best Place to Holiday in Ireland" by ''The Irish Times'', and was shortlisted in the Best Destination category at the World Responsible Tourism awards. The Loop Head Peninsula is the only Irish destination listed in the 2014 Global Sustainable Top 100 Destinations and in 2 ...
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Cliffs Of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher (; ) are sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. They run for about . At their southern end, they rise above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and, to the north, they reach their maximum height of just north of O'Brien's Tower, a round stone tower near the midpoint of the cliffs, built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, then continue at lower heights. The closest settlements are the villages of Liscannor to the south, and Doolin to the north. From the cliffs, and from atop the tower, visitors can see the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, the Maumturks and Twelve Pins mountain ranges to the north in County Galway, and Loop Head to the south. The cliffs rank among the most visited tourist sites in Ireland, with around 1.5 million visits per year. Name The cliffs take their name from an old promontory fort called ''Mothar'' or ''Moher'', which once stood on Hag's Head, the southernmost point of the cliffed ...
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Sir Cornellius O'Brien
Cornelius O'Brien (1782–1857) was an Irish people, Irish politician, Member of Parliament and landowner in County Clare. He was the son of Henry O'Brien from Ennis and his wife Helen (née O'Callaghan). Born at the O'Brien residence at Birchfield House in Beaghy townland of Kilmacrehy parish, now demolished and replaced by a farm house. It was a house designed in the exotic "Moorish" or "Foreign Legion" style. Cornelius O'Brien was married firstly in 1816 to Margaret, the daughter of Peter Long of Waterford. She was the widow of James O'Brien of Limerick. His second wife was Ellen McLaughlin daughter of Hugh McLaughlin, merchant of Ennis. They married in July 1836 in Limerick. Cornelius was a solicitor (from 1811) and later also magistrate for Clare. Cornelius (or Corney) became MP for Clare (UK Parliament constituency), Clare in 1832. He was a Liberal Party (UK), Liberal in favour of Repeal Association, Repeal of the Union and was reelected (with a break from 1847 to 1852) un ...
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Doolin
Doolin () is a coastal village in County Clare, Ireland, on the Atlantic coast. It is southwest of the spa town of Lisdoonvarna and 4 miles from the Cliffs of Moher. It is a noted centre of traditional Irish music, which is played nightly in its pubs, making it a popular tourist destination. There are numerous nearby archaeological sites, many dating to the Iron Age and earlier. Doonagore Castle and Ballinalacken Castle are also in the area. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht (an Irish-speaking community) prior to the 1950s, and maintains a connection with Irish-speaking areas - including via its maritime connection with the Aran Islands. Amenities and tourism Layout The village of Doolin does not have a defined centre, comprising a number of "scattered" sections: * "The Harbour" is the departing point for boat trips to the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher. There is also a campsite nearby * "Fisher Street" has O'Connor's Pub and severa ...
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