Clifden
Clifden is the unofficial capital of Connemara, a small market town built in the early 1800s by local landlord John D'Arcy specifically to bring order and commerce to a wild stretch of coast, and it still functions as the natural base for exploring the region. Its twin church spires and colourful main street give it a lively, self-contained character, and it hosts one of the west of Ireland's best-known agricultural events, the Clifden Show, each August.
Just outside town, the Sky Road is the reason many visitors come at all — a looping coastal drive with some of the most dramatic Atlantic views in Connemara, taking in cliffs, offshore islands, and the wide sweep of Clifden Bay. The town is also close to the site where Alcock and Brown crash-landed in a bog in 1919, having just completed the first non-stop transatlantic flight, a piece of aviation history marked by a monument nearby. With good restaurants and pubs, Clifden makes a comfortable overnight base for a wider Connemara loop rather than a single-sight destination.
Clifden FAQs
It's a scenic looped coastal drive just outside Clifden offering some of the most dramatic Atlantic and Connemara Bay views in the region.
Yes, it's considered the region's main town and a practical, well-equipped base with accommodation, restaurants, and easy access to Connemara National Park and Kylemore Abbey.
The two aviators crash-landed in a bog near Clifden in 1919 after completing the first non-stop transatlantic flight, and a monument nearby commemorates the achievement.
About an hour and 15 minutes by car.
Summer brings the Clifden Show and the best weather for the Sky Road, but the town and surrounding scenery are worth visiting in any season.
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