The Wonderful Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher

Translated literally as the cliffs of the ruin, the cliffs can be found at County Clare situated at the southwest area of The Burren in the parish of Liscannor. From the cliff, one witnesses spectacular views especially on a clear morning where the islands of Aran and valleys and hills of Connemara are visible. This 120-meter or 394-feet above sea level cliff is one of Ireland's pride when it comes to the most beautiful and scenic spots in the country. The Cliffs of Moher are included in Ireland's top tourist attractions because of the impressive and breath-taking views plus the wonderful geology and wildlife.

A descendant of Ireland's High King Brian Boru, Sir Cornelius O'Brien, built a round stone tower in 1835 now known as the O'Brien tower located at the center point of the cliffs. It serves as an observation tower for many tourists visiting the cliffs from that time up until now from which point of view the tourists can see the Maum Turk Mountains and the Twelve Pins north of Connemara, Galway Bay and Aran Islands and the Loop Head to the south. During Napoleon's reign in Europe, he built a watchtower and the remains of which are famously known today as the Moher tower, a square stone ruin.

Rock beds of Namurian shale and sandstone is what made the cliffs, at the bottom are the oldest up until the top where the new ones can be found. At the base of the cliffs, tourists can also find the channels of 300 million year old rivers. The cliffs also have a diverse wildlife which includes mostly birds (30000 birds of 29 different species) the most famous of which are the Atlantic Puffins.

The Clare County Council and Shannon Heritage help in maintaining the beauty of the place. They charge visitors a Facilities Charge of 8 Euros per car which covers for all the passengers of that car. It gives the tourists the access to the establishments and park-all-you-want privileges. Proceeds will go to the preservation and protection of the cliffs. The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience was cited by the Association of Heritage Interpretation as a center that had the best visitor facilities.

The Cliffs of Moher have been included in many films such as The Princess Bride (1987) where it was featured as the Cliffs of Insanity and Ryan's Daughter, a 1970 film of David Lean. Also, in 1999 British pop singer, Dusty Springfield's ashes were spread out in the same cliffs.




See the picture gallery of the Cliffs of Moher here:

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