Kilkee () is a small coastal town in

County Clare County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...

, Ireland. It is in the parish of Kilkee, formerly Kilfearagh. Kilkee is midway between

Kilrush Kilrush () is a coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is also the name of a civil parish and an ecclesiastical parish in Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe. It is located near the mouth of the River Shannon in the south-west of the county. ...

and Doonbeg on the N67 road. The town is popular as a

seaside resort A seaside resort is a resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, suc ...

. The horseshoe bay is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by the Duggerna Reef.

History

Che Guevara mural on the strand in Kilkee, Ireland

During the early part of the 19th century, Kilkee was just a small fishing village but in the 1820s when a paddle steamer service from Limerick to Kilrush was launched, it began to attract visitors. It has been a resort since then and was featured on the front page of ''

The Illustrated London News ''The Illustrated London News'' appeared first on Saturday 14 May 1842, as the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. Founded by Herbert Ingram, it appeared weekly until 1971, then less frequently thereafter, and ceased publication ...

'' as the premier

bathing Bathing is the act of washing the body, usually with water, or the immersion of the body in water. It may be practiced for personal hygiene, religious ritual or therapy, therapeutic purposes. By analogy, especially as a recreational activity, the ...

spot in what was then the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a sovereign state in the British Isles that existed between 1801 and 1922, when it included all of Ireland. It was established by the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Gre ...

. Gradually the town grew as the demand for holiday homes by the sea increased, resulting in a building boom in the 1830s. As demand for lodgings in Kilkee grew, several hotels were built. Along with these, three churches were built, a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

church in 1831, a

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

church in 1843 and a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related Christian denomination, denominations of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John W ...

church in 1900, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of the town in that era. Descriptions of Kilkee during the Irish Famine can be found in John Manners's travel narrative '' Notes of an Irish Tour, in 1846'' and Sidney Godolphin Osborne's '' Gleanings in the West of Ireland'' published in 1850. Manners emphasises Kilkee's popularity as a seaside resort and comments on its overcrowded beach and dangerous waves:"Kilkee itself is the quaintest collection of little whitewashed cottages, some distinguished by the name of 'lodges,' that ever aspired to the dignity of a bathing-place. . . .The lodges are built round a little sandy creek, and here . . . plies the one bathing-machine which the decent liberality of Lady Chatterton presented to this Clare Herne Bay; and if you don't choose to wade a quarter of a mile among a hundred fellow-bathers over the said sands, you must do as I did, look out for some cranny among the black rocks, and trust to the mercifulness of the Atlantic waves, or to your own strength and skill, to avoid being knocked up against those scarifiers of sides and shins: may you fare better than I did this morning!" (Manners, 1849, pp. 55–61). Osborne extols Kilkee's scenic beauty: "Kilkee, sa small sea-bathing place about eight miles . . . rom Kilrush No traveller through this part of Ireland, should omit a visit to this little town; there is a very comfortable hotel, and within a walk of it, some scenery, which in its own way, can hardly be surpassed. I do not know that I ever saw a sea-view, that struck me more for its wild beauty, than that which is to be seen from the cliffs, which command the entrance to the bay, on which Kilkee is situated. The rocks are of a very dark stone; in places, quite perpendicular, and of great depth; the waves of the Atlantic rolling in huge breakers upon them, throwing up vast clouds of white spray against and over them, had a most magnificent effect" (Osborne, 1850, p. 20). On 30 January 1836 the ''Intrinsic'', a ship from

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

bound for

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

A chartered passenger sailing vessel named the '' Edmond'' sank at Edmond Point on 19 November 1850. The ship was sailing from

Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...

to New York City but was driven into Kilkee Bay by a storm. As the tide was very high, the ship was driven all the way to Edmond Point, where it split in two. Of the 216 on board, 98 drowned in the disaster. Exactly 50 years to the day after the ''Intrinsic'' sank, on 30 January 1886, the ''

Fulmar The fulmars are tubenosed seabirds of the family Procellariidae. The family consists of two extant species and two extinct fossil species from the Miocene. Fulmars superficially resemble gulls, but are readily distinguished by their flight o ...

'' sank just north of Kilkee in an area known as Farrihy Bay. The ship was a cargo vessel transporting coal from

Troon Troon is a town in South Ayrshire, situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, about north of Ayr and northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon has a port with freight services and a yacht marina. Up until January 2016, P&O opera ...

in Scotland to Limerick, but never reached its destination. Of the 17 crew members aboard only one body was ever recovered. At some point during 28 and 29 December 1894, the ''

Inishtrahull Inishtrahull ( ga, Inis Trá Tholl, possibly "island of the empty beach" or "island of the yonder beach") is the most northerly island of Ireland. It has an area of and lies about northeast of Malin Head, County Donegal. The most northerly ...

'' went missing somewhere near the Kilkee coast. At the time of the disappearance the ship was transporting a consignment of coal from

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated pop ...

to Limerick but never reached its intended destination. The ship was only confirmed to have sunk on 3 January 1985, when a section of a port bow from a ship with a brass plate marked "Glasgow" was picked up by the Kilkee coastguards. In the 1890s, Kilkee had yet again another boom, when the West Clare Railway opened up to goods transport, improving commercial life in the area, as well as providing a relatively fast means of travel to and from the town. Many prominent people in society travelled to Kilkee including Sir Aubrey de Vere,

Charlotte Brontë Charlotte Brontë (, commonly ; 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855) was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novels became classics of English literature. She enlisted i ...

(who spent her honeymoon here), Sir Henry Rider Haggard, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson. In 1896, the Crown Princess of Austria visited the town. The entertainer Percy French was a regular performer in the town and an incident on the West Clare Railway on the way to Kilkee prompted him to write the song " Are Ye Right There Michael". Although it has become more developed and modern in recent years, the town retains some of its 19th-century

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

feel. Kilkee has regularly been awarded the Blue Flag by the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body ...

. In 2006, a statue of Richard Harris was unveiled in Kilkee by actor Russell Crowe.

Tourism

Kilkee is the longest established seaside resort in Ireland and is still one of the most popular with a loyal following going back many generations. In addition to the excellent beach, regarded as one of the safest beaches in Ireland, especially for children, there many other things to do in Kilkee. Many people from all over the world come to Kilkee to dive and see the abundant fish life and wondrous rock formations. There is a very active Scuba Diving Club. Water sports like canoeing, paddle boarding are popular and there are lessons given during the summer. The public walks are famous and the actor Russell Crowe stated the famous cliff walk was the finest public walk in the world. Whale and dolphin are also popular and there is an abundance of both in the surrounding Atlantic waters. Over the more recent years, during a period of rapid economic growth in Ireland known as the '

Celtic Tiger The "Celtic Tiger" ( ga, An Tíogar Ceilteach) is a term referring to the economy of Ireland from the mid-1990s to the late 2000s, a period of rapid real economic growth fuelled by foreign direct investment. The boom was dampened by a subseque ...

', Kilkee underwent considerable expansion with the development of hotels, estates and other forms of housing. The town's main source of income is still the tourism sector and therefore many recreational places have been established, including restaurants, pubs and cafés. It was one of the premier spots for eating out in Clare with a wide array of Restaurants many of which are open all year round. Summer holidays in 1950s Kilkee are evocatively described in

Homan Potterton Homan Potterton (9 May 1946 – 8 December 2020)''Who Do I Think I Am? A Memoir'' (2017) was an art historian and writer who was director of the National Gallery of Ireland, 1980-88. At 33, he was the youngest ever director of the gallery.

's memoir, ''Rathcormick'' (2001).

Sport and recreation

Along with bathing on the strand, swimmers can choose from the Pollock Holes, New Found Out and Byrnes Cove. The Pollock Holes, which is also known as Duggerna Reef, are three natural rock-enclosed pools, with water that is changed by every tide. This not only brings in fresh water, but replenishes the marine life in the many rock pools surrounding it. The diving boards at New Found Out allow for dives of up to 13 metres (45 feet) into the open sea. The annual diving competition is held at these boards. Every year there are many participants in the Bay Swim, a race of roughly a mile from the east end of the town to the west across the bay. The race starts at Byrnes Cove, a sheltered cove situated close to George's Head, a prominent headland in the town. In 2011 nearly 200 people took part in the swim. There is also a mini bay swim for children under fourteen, from Sandy Cove to the Pier. The last weekend in June sees an influx of triathletes as Kilkee hosts the "Hell of the West Triathlon", the longest-running triathlon in the country. This is one of the biggest and toughest triathlons on the Irish Triathlon calendar with upwards of 600 athletes taking part in a 1500-metre swim, 45 km cycle and finishing with a 10 km road race. Kilkee has a reputation as a place to enjoy diving. Jacques Cousteau declared that it was the best place in Europe for diving, and one of the top five in the world. The Kilkee Dive Centre is a fully equipped SCUBA diving centre which caters to both beginners and experts. Divers can go to depths from 10 metres (32 feet) to 45 metres (147 feet). The diverse marine life in the reefs around the bay attract divers from around the world. A version of

racquetball Racquetball is a racquet sport and a team sport played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. Joseph Sobek invented the modern sport of racquetball in 1950, adding a stringed racquet to paddleball in order to increase v ...

(not squash, as is often incorrectly stated) has been played against the high sandstone walls in the West End for generations, and it is possible that the rules were codified in Kilkee before racquetball was standardised anywhere else. The main trophy, the Tivoli cup, was first competed for in Kilkee in 1935; racquetball in its current form was not codified internationally until 1950. Richard Harris, who would go on to become an internationally known actor, won the cup four years in a row, from 1948 to 1951, a record surpassed by no one to this day. The Strand Races are horse races contested annually on the Kilkee strand. They first began in the 19th century on the sand-hills where the golf club is now. The races are normally held over two days in September, when the summer season is drawing to a close. The course is made by placing poles on the beach and when the tide goes out the races begin. Traditionally it was a celebration for farmers when the

harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most lab ...

ing season is over. Kilkee has a strong GAA tradition, where the local team is known as St. Senan's. The club has won many county finals at all levels and has reached two Munster Senior Football Final deciders. The people of the town are proud of their strong history with Gaelic sports, particularly in football as the club has won many titles over the years. Kilkee is popular with walkers as different routes stretch out in every direction from the bay. The most popular walk is the cliff walk, which involves walking up the Dunlicky Road and then turning right onto the cliffs by Intrinsic Bay, following the path until you eventually end up at the Pollack Holes. The East End of the town is home to an 18-hole

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". The ...

. The first and second tees overlook the Atlantic Ocean and the third tee overlooks Chimney Bay. A short lived greyhound racing track was opened by the Kilkee Greyhound Racing Company on 2 July 1936. The land and assets of the track (behind the Olympia Hall and Merton Square) were put up for sale in 1942.

Transport

Before the West Clare Railway opened in 1887, the only way to get to the town was by paddle steamer from Limerick to

and then by

horse and cart A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load. They were once common worldwide, but they have m ...

from there. This service ran from 1816 until 1918 but was stopped after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

due to the popularity of the railway, although for many years the railway and steamer services ran together with a special "Steamer Express" train to and from Kilkee. After the railway closed in 1961, the only way to get to the resort was by car but as the mainline rail system now connects Limerick and

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a city in the West of Ireland, in the province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay, and is the sixth most populous city ...

Ennis Ennis () is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in County Clare, with a population of 25,27 ...

, it is still possible to get the train as far as Ennis. Although the only bus routes offered by

Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subs ...

from Kilkee are to Kilrush, Ennis and Limerick (via Shannon Airport), it is possible to get to Cork or even

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

through connecting buses or trains.
For international visitors the closest airport is in Shannon. Shannon airport offers services to Europe, the US and Canada.

References

External links