The Cliffs of Moher rise straight from the Atlantic for as much as 214 metres and run for around 14 kilometres along the Clare coast, from Hag's Head in the south to beyond O'Brien's Tower in the north. On a clear day you can see the Aran Islands, the hills of Connemara and the whole sweep of Galway Bay. It is the most visited natural attraction in Ireland — and with good reason.
This guide covers the practical side of a visit — getting there, parking, tickets, timing and access — and then the part most guidebooks skip: the legends carved into this coast. Plan your visit here for free, then let MacÉireann narrate the cliffs and the whole drive around them as you go.
Hear the full story in the app
Narrated by a traditional storyteller and triggered automatically as you drive past. Download on the App Store →
Plan your visit
The story
The cliffs are named for a long-vanished promontory fort — Mothar — that once stood at Hag's Head, the headland at their southern end. Hag's Head itself, Ceann na Caillí, "the head of the hag," remembers Mal, a witch who fell for the hero Cú Chulainn and chased him along the coast. He leapt across the sea stacks to escape her; she leapt after him, fell short, and was dashed on the rocks below — and the sea ran red, so they say, as far as Liscannor.
O'Brien's Tower, the little round lookout at the highest point, was built in 1835 by Cornelius O'Brien, a local landlord and member of parliament, to impress visitors — an early piece of tourism that worked rather well. Below it, the sea stack called Branaunmore was once part of the cliff itself before the Atlantic cut it loose.
The ledges are a seabird city in summer — puffins, razorbills, guillemots and kittiwakes nesting in their thousands — and the cliffs have stood in for far-off lands on screen, from the Cliffs of Insanity in The Princess Bride to a sea cave in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
In the app
"They called it the Cliff of the Foals — Aill na Searrach — for the seven young horses that sprang from the waves, ran wild across Clare for a day and a night, then leapt from this very edge back into the sea they came from."
That is just a taste. Hear the full story — and the legends, history and local lore of every place along the way — narrated automatically in the MacÉireann app as you drive past.
Drive it as part of a tour
The Cliffs of Moher are the highlight of MacÉireann's Clare coast tour, narrated turn-by-turn whichever way you drive it:
Common questions
How much does it cost to visit the Cliffs of Moher?
Entry to the Cliffs of Moher Experience is by paid admission, and your ticket includes parking. Booking a timed ticket online in advance is cheaper than paying at the gate, and guarantees your slot in summer.
How long do you need at the Cliffs of Moher?
Most visitors spend about 1.5 to 2 hours — enough for the visitor centre, the climb to O'Brien's Tower and a walk along the cliff-edge paths. Keen walkers can follow the longer coastal trail toward Doolin or Liscannor.
When is the best time to visit the Cliffs of Moher?
Early morning or near sunset, outside the busy midday window when the tour coaches arrive. For weather, May to September is best, though the cliffs are dramatic in any season.
Can you visit the Cliffs of Moher for free?
You can reach the cliffs on foot along the coastal walk from Doolin or Liscannor without entering the paid Experience, but the official car park and visitor centre require a ticket.
Do I need a phone signal for the audio tour?
No. Download the tour before you set off and it uses your phone's GPS to play each story automatically, so it works even where there is no mobile coverage.
Hear Cliffs of Moher come to life
MacÉireann is live on the App Store. Pick the route that passes Cliffs of Moher, download it before you set off, and let a traditional storyteller narrate it as you drive.
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