Best Beach in County Clare, Republic of Ireland - Map and Reviews

Fanore Beach on the Clare coast at the northern edge of the Burren is one of the finest beaches in the west of Ireland, a long sandy strand backed by extensive dunes that faces northwest into Galway Bay and receives the Atlantic swell that provides consistent surfing conditions throughout the year. The combination of the beach quality, the surf, the dramatic limestone landscape of the Burren rising immediately behind the dunes and the views across the bay to the Aran Islands and the Connemara mountains creates one of the most visually striking beach settings available in the west of Ireland. The dune system at Fanore is one of the most important in County Clare, the extensive marram-stabilised dunes providing habitat for the diverse dune flora characteristic of the interface between the Atlantic dune environment and the limestone pavement of the Burren. The rare orchids and other specialist plants of the Burren extend into the dune grassland at Fanore, creating a botanical richness unusual in a beach dune environment. The surf at Fanore is among the most consistent on the Clare coast, the northwest-facing aspect and the relatively shallow approach to the beach creating waves of reasonable size for much of the year, with the autumn and winter swells providing the best conditions for experienced surfers. The combination of the beach, the surf and the extraordinary Burren landscape behind makes Fanore one of the most distinctive and most rewarding coastal destinations in the west of Ireland.