Monday, August 30, 2010

Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland
The Cliffs of Moher, in County Clare, are one of Ireland’s top Visitor attractions, with close to 1 million visitors per year. A visit to this majestic natural wonder and you’ll know why. The Cliffs stand 702 feet high at its highest point, stretching roughly 5 miles, offering breathtaking views of the beauty of Ireland’s west coast and the sheer power of the Atlantic Ocean. Even on a calm day, the great ocean waves ceaselessly pound the shore with white surf continually showing white surf at the base of the cliffs.

O'Brien's Tower is a round stone tower at the approximate midpoint of the cliffs. It was built by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, a descendant of Ireland's High King Brian Boru, in order to impress female visitors. O'Brien's Tower stands proudly on a headland of the majestic Cliffs. From the Cliffs one can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, as well as The Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara and Loop Head to the South. The Cliffs of Moher take their name from a ruined promontory fort “Mothar” which was demolished during the Napoleonic wars to make room for a signal tower.

The exciting eco-friendly Visitor’s Centre offers an array of interactive media, exploring topics such as the origin of the Cliffs, the bird and the fish life, and others. The site has been developed by the Clare County Council to allow visitors to experience the Cliffs, without the distraction of overly-imposing man-made amenities and facilities. In keeping with this approach the “Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience” is built into a hillside approaching the Cliffs, blending naturally with the surrounding countryside. The centre is environmentally sensitive in its use of renewable energy systems including geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, and greywater recycling.

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