Ireland's southernmost inhabited island and one of its last Gaeltacht communities, reachable only by ferry from Baltimore or Schull — there is no bridge or causeway, and the crossing takes the best part of an hour. This trail gathers Cape Clear's own heritage, distinct from the mainland departure villages: the twin North and South Harbours either side of 'the Waist'; the ruined 12th-century Teampall Chiaráin and the holy well of Tobar Chiaráin, both tied to the tradition that St Ciarán of Saigir — one of the 'Twelve Apostles of Ireland' — was born and raised on this island before Patrick's mission; the O'Driscoll tower house of Dún an Óir on its promontory-fort headland; a roofless Napoleonic-era signal tower; the site of the island's own 1818 lighthouse, superseded by Fastnet Rock in 1854 and now associated with Cape Clear Bird Observatory; and Ceann Cléire, the exposed southwestern headland looking out to the Fastnet light itself. Because every stop here sits across open water from the mainland, GPS positioning may drift during the crossing — this trail uses a wide trigger radius spanning the ferry route and the island itself, so give location a moment to settle once you're aboard or ashore. Looking for things to do in Cape Clear Island? Start here — no car, no ticket, no booking.
Opens the free interactive app — point your phone at each stop and hear it speak, in 12 languages.
Stops on This Trail
North Harbour, Cape Clear Island (Cuan Trá Chiaráin)
South Harbour, Cape Clear Island (An tInbhear)
Teampall Chiaráin (St Ciarán's Church)
Tobar Chiaráin (St Ciarán's Holy Well)
Dún an Óir (Doonanore Castle)
Cape Clear Signal Tower
Old Cape Clear Lighthouse & Bird Observatory
Ceann Cléire (The Bill of Cape Clear)
For Schools
This trail is also available as a free printable classroom worksheet or full trail booklet — no site visit required. See how Classroom Prep Mode works →