- Scattery Island (Inis Cathaigh) in the Shannon Estuary ranks among the county’s premier pilgrimage sites, founded by the 6th-century St Senan, who established a monastic settlement here. The island features ancient church ruins, a round tower, and St Senan’s holy well, long venerated for healing. Pilgrims once undertook boat journeys for pattern days, with traditions blending saintly devotion and older water cults; a legendary sacred hazel tree (bile cuill) grew from the saint’s staff beside the well, echoing pre-Christian tree worship.
- St Brigid’s Well (Dabhach Bhríde) near Liscannor, close to the Cliffs of Moher, honours St Brigid (likely rooted in the pre-Christian goddess) and draws pilgrims for its reputed cures, especially on her feast day (1 February) and the Assumption (15 August). The site includes a lower sanctuary with the well and statue, an upper area with a rag tree (hawthorn) adorned with cloth offerings, and a historic graveyard—rituals involve circumambulation, prayer, and sipping the water, preserving ancient hydrolatry adapted to Christian practice.
- St Flannan’s Well (Tobar Fhlannáin) at Drumanure features a well house with statues, a footprint stone attributed to the 7th-century saint, Stations of the Cross, and homemade grottoes. A notable ash tree, known as “the unusual tree,” stands nearby, revered as a companion to the well and possibly echoing sacred tree lore from pre-Christian times. Pilgrims perform rounds here, seeking blessings on the saint’s feast (18 December).
- Holy Island (Inis Cealtra) on Lough Derg boasts one of Ireland’s richest early monastic complexes, with churches, a round tower, high crosses, and Our Lady’s Well (St Mary’s Well) on the east shore. Once a major pilgrimage destination, it attracted crowds for pattern days, especially around the Assumption. The island’s serene isolation and ancient monuments invite contemplation of layered spiritual history.
- Magh Adhair near Quin served as a pre-Christian and early medieval inauguration site for the kings of Thomond (the O’Briens), centred on a mound and standing stone where rulers were symbolically enthroned atop an ancient tomb. This royal ceremonial place reflects pre-Christian kingship rituals and sacred landscape veneration, later influenced by Christian overlords.
- Sacred trees, often lone hawthorns or ashes (known as fairy trees), appear beside many holy wells across Clare’s countryside and Burren karst. These carry protective folklore from pre-Christian nature cults, with pilgrims tying rags or offerings for healing and blessings, maintaining continuity between ancient tree worship and modern devotion.
County Clare:
Ireland’s county Clare is renowned for its dramatic cliffs and traditional heritage, with the Cliffs of Moher offering breathtaking views over the Atlantic. The Burren’s unique limestone landscape provides hiking and rare flora, while Bunratty Castle offers medieval history with its restored interiors. Check out the traditional music scene in Doolin and the county’s coastal beaches. Clare is Ireland’s eighth largest county by size (3,188 square km) and 19th largest by population (127,938). Population peaked at 286,394 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 73,597 in 1966. In terms of hospitality, Clare is Ireland’s sixth most visited tourist county with around 485,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels8 – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Musicians – New – Name – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets– Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837– 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
Sacred Places
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
