Seaside Charm & Music in Doolin, Ireland

/ Yale Wanders

The unofficial capital of Irish traditional music, Doolin is a small, single street with only a few pubs and restaurants, but was one of my favourite places we visited on our road trip around Ireland.

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It’s a picture perfect village, winding roads where the Irish countryside meets the Atlantic sea. We spent a night in Doolin because it’s the perfect place to visit Cliffs of Moher from- only a 15-20 minute drive from town. Doolin is also a good hub if you want to visit the Aran Islands, ferries leave throughout each day from Doolin’s pier.

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We arrived in Doolin after a day of driving from Southern Ireland through Adare and Limerick.

First stop: Checking into our B&B at Glasha Meadows. This was my favourite B&B of the trip- our family room was newly renovated with sweeping views of the countryside.

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Breakfast was also my favourite of the b&b’s we stayed at- they offered the usual staples of Irish breakfast, plus pick your own sides (fruit salad, scones, toast, banana bread, yogurt) and the chance to choose a main breakfast meal (eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, etc.). The most important part though was the b&b pup- Chase. The cutest.

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Post check-in, we walked ~20 minutes into town in search of dinner and pints. With only a few pubs to choose from, we’d heard all were great, but a few, in particular, were favoured by the locals: O’Connor’s, McDermott’s and McGann’s. We spotted a huge table at McDermott’s, liked what we saw on the menu and decided to spend the night nibbling, and sipping Stonewell ciders.

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As great as the food and drink were, the best part was then the traditional live music started. We stayed far longer than planned, and when we finally headed back outside, realised the sun had long set. Not enticed by the idea of walking home along dark country roads, we gladly took the pub owner up on his offer to drive us back to our b&b.

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The next morning, we woke and headed to the Cliffs of Moher before coming back to town and exploring a bit more. Doolin Cafe is a sure bet for coffee, and if you really want to see more of the countryside, drive north along R477.

You’ll be treated to incredible coastal views- two points of interest: Doolin Cliffs, where the extraterrestrial landscape of the Burren meets the sea, and Fanore Beach, a stretch of sandy coastline with rocks for lounging and surfers to watch.

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It doesn’t get much more charming than Doolin. If you’re driving along the Wild Atlantic Way and need somewhere to stay for a day, you’ll be welcomed by open arms in Doolin.

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Have you ever visited the west coast of Ireland? Which towns were your favourite? 

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