Spectacular Landscapes of Ireland
Cliffs of Moher- The Cliffs' Many Folklegend Stories
14 January 2024
County Clare, Ireland
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The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland’s most famous natural attractions. Located on the western coast of County Clare, they stretch for about 8 kilometers (5 miles) along the Atlantic Ocean. The cliffs rise to heights of up to 214 meters (702 feet) at their highest point, providing breathtaking panoramic views of the ocean, surrounding countryside, and the Aran Islands.
The Cliffs of Moher are renowned for their rugged beauty, dramatic cliffsides, and diverse birdlife, including puffins, gannets, and guillemots. They have been featured in numerous films and are a popular visitors’ destination, attracting over a million visitors each year. Visitors can explore various viewpoints, walk along designated pathways, and visit the visitor centre to learn more about the cliffs’ geological significance, wildlife, and cultural history.
Cliffs of Moher Visitors' Centre
The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre in County Clare, Ireland, was developed on the concept of a subterranean building, taking its design and influences from the natural materials and forms of the area in order to minimise its impact and footprint on its visually prominent rural landscape setting.
Given the unique and sensitive nature of the site, the main priority for the design was the use of the existing landscape and organic forms, taking precedence over any building to be located there. The development would not compete with, nor distract from, the natural attraction of the ‘Cliffs’.
The resultant building has no façades as such, with the exception of the south facing ‘elevation’, where only the entrance doorway and the organic forms of the upper restaurant windows are expressed. The main entrance has been discreetly set into the remodelled landscape so that it is only visible immediately upon approach.
The O'Brien Tower
The Cliffs of Moher have long been admired for their scenic beauty, but few know much about the man who first promoted tourism to this inspiring place. Cornelius O’Brien, a benevolent local landlord, was the first to formally recognise the cliffs as a tourist destination. Samuel Lewis reported in 1833 that O’Brien was erecting ‘an ornamental building in the castellated style for the accommodation of visitors to this bold and iron-bound coast, from which is obtained a magnificent view embracing nearly the whole line of coast from Loop Head to the northern extremity of the bay of Galway, together with the Arran Isles and a vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. In order to make the cliffs accessible, safe and attractive, O’Brien also built stables and an iron picnic table for the convenience of visitors, whom he frequently entertained at Birchfield, his nearby estate. His only surviving son, George, continued his father’s hospitality to strangers. Cornelius O’Brien (c. 1782–1857) was born around 1782 at Birchfield, Liscannor, Co. Clare, the third son of Henry O’Brien of Birchfield and Ennis. He was educated by Stephen O’Halloran in Ennis, entered the King’s Inns, Dublin, in the Hilary term of 1803, and graduated as an attorney in the Easter term of 1808. He was a proctor, solicitor and magistrate for County Clare, with a business address in Dublin. Throughout his career, however, his primary place of residence was his estate at Birchfield. (National Library of Ireland)
Head of the Old Sea Witch – Hag’s Head
There was once a hag or witch whose name was Mal. She was madly in love with the great Irish hero Cú Chulainn. However sadly Cú Chulainn did not like Mal back. Bound and determined Mal kept following Cú Chulainn, hoping to tell him how much she loved him and Cú Chulainn kept running away from her. He went all the way to the Loop Head! When Mal and Cú Chulainn were standing at the end of the land and she thought she surely had him then, he jumped all the way back to the Cliffs of Moher! Mal tried to follow behind but the wind was against her. She dashed tragically to pieces at Hag’s Head and her blood stained the sea all the way to the Cliffs of Moher. Or so the story goes...
The Myths and Legends of the Cliffs of Moher
According to folklore, the cliffs are said to be home to otherworldly beings and mystical creatures. These captivating myths and legends added an extra layer of enchantment to the already splendid and inspiring Cliffs of Moher, appealing the imagination and leaving visitors with a sense of wonder and mystery. The cliffs are also drenched in tales of ancient warriors, witches and giants, with a sense of wonder and mystery as they stand on the edge of this dramatic natural masterpiece.
The Witch’s Unreciprocated Love
The legend stated that a witch named Mal became infatuated with Cú Chulainn, the valiant warrior of the Red Branch. However, Cú Chulainn did not reciprocate her feelings. Undiscouraged, Mal relentlessly pursued him throughout Ireland. Eventually, the chase led them to the southern region of the Cliffs of Moher, near the mouth of the Shannon River, where Cú Chulainn leaped onto an island known as Diarmuid and Grainne’s Rock. Persistent, Mal attempted to leap to the island as well, propelled by a gust of wind. Seizing the opportunity, Cú Chulainn swiftly jumped back to the mainland, but Mal, relying on the wind’s assistance from the previous leap, fell short. Tragically, she crashed into the rocks below, staining the bay with her blood and giving rise to the belief that the bay was named after her, known as Malbay. Known today as Miltown Malbay. The rocks, now known as Hag’s Head, are said to bear the profile of Mal, forever carved in their form, serving as a lasting reminder of the legend to this day.
The Mermaid of Moher
In the legend of the Mermaid of Moher, a local fisherman reeled upon a mermaid’s presence while casting his line near the Cliffs of Moher. Intrigued, he engaged in conversation with the mystical creature. As they conversed, the fisherman noticed a magical cloak resting near a rock nearby. This cloak was essential for the mermaid to return to the sea, as she needed to wear it. However, his desire for her magical cloak quickly consumed him. Seizing an opportunity, the man snatched the cloak and hurriedly made his escape to his home, carefully concealing the precious item. Desperate to regain her cloak and return to her ocean home, the mermaid pursued the man to his house. However, despite her thorough search, the cloak remained hidden from her grasp. Left with few alternatives, the mermaid agreed to marry the man, and together they would go on to have a son and daughter. Yet, the mermaid’s longing for her lost cloak persisted. Years passed, and one day, while the man was away at sea, the mermaid discovered the hidden cloak. Grasping the opportunity to reclaim her freedom, she swiftly returned to the sea, vanishing without a trace. Neither the man nor their children would ever lay eyes upon her again, forever left with the memory of the mermaid who slipped away.
Leap of Foals
With the arrival of Saint Patrick and the spread of Christianity in Ireland, the influence of the Celtic pantheon, the Tuatha De Danann, gradually faded. Feeling resentful towards the rising prominence of the new faith, the deities of the Tuatha De Danann transformed themselves into horses as an act of protest. They sought refuge in the caves of Kilcornan, where they remained concealed for countless centuries. Eventually, after a prolonged period of darkness, seven foals emerged from the caverns. However, disoriented by the sudden exposure to sunlight, the frightened foals galloped recklessly along the cliff’s edge, tragically meeting their death as they plunged into the depths below. The location where this fateful event occurred is now known as Aill Na Searrach, or The Cliff of the Foals.
The Lost City of Kilstiffen
The city has also been called Cill Stuifin, Kilstpheen, Kilstuitheen, Cill Stuithin, and Cill Stuifin. The city sank when the chieftain lost the golden key that opened the castle doors. The city is said to remain underwater until the key is returned, which has yet to happen. Most legend story say the key lays under the ogam-inscribed gravestone on Slieve Callan, east of Milltown Malbay while others claimed the key was in a lake on top of a mountain. Many have claimed to see the city shining below the surface while others say the city rises every seven years. The legend has it that if someone witnesses the city above water they will die before it rises again in seven years. Within the reef of Lisacannor Bay, there are submerged forests and bogs, which many believe to be the basis for this legend.
Giant's Causeway- The Natural Wonder of Northern Ireland
09 December 2023
Antrim Coast, Northern Ireland
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About Giant's Causeway
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Giant’s Causeway is a cliff of basalt columns ( basalt, an igneous rock formed from rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron), along 4 miles (6 km) of the northern coast of Northern Ireland. It lies on the edge of the Antrim plateau between Causeway Head and Benbane Head, some 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Londonderry. There are approximately 40,000 of these stone pillars, each typically with five to seven irregular sides, projecting out of the cliff faces as if they were steps edging into the sea. It is believed that the formation 50 to 60 million years ago, during the Paleogene Period, the Giant’s Causeway resulted from successive flows of lava inching toward the coast and cooling when they contacted the sea. Layers of basalt formed columns, and the pressure between these columns sculpted them into polygonal shapes that vary from 15 to 20 inches (38 to 51 cm) in diameter and measure up to 82 feet (25 metres) in height. They are arrayed along cliffs averaging some 330 feet (100 metres) in elevation. The features of the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast site and in particular the strata exposed in the cliff faces, have been key to shaping the understanding of the sequences of activity in the Earth’s geological history.
It was first documented in 1693, the formation has been intensively studied by geologists. The Giant’s Causeway and its coastal surroundings were bestowed to the National Trust (a British organization that promotes the preservation of natural and architectural wonders) in 1961. Subsequently, the site was extended to some 200 acres (80 hectares); it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. It is protected not only for its beauty but also because its cliffs, seashores, marshes, and grasslands are home to some 50 species of birds, as well as to more than 200 species of plants. Humans settled around the Giant’s Causeway in the 19th century, but the site is now uninhabited. It does, however, attract some 300,000 visitors annually. Deriving its name from local folklore, it is legendary to be the work of giants, particularly of Finn MacCumhaill (McCool), who built it as part of a causeway to the Scottish island of Staffa (which has similar rock formations) for motives of either love or war.
Source: UNESCO and Britannica
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