Introduction
Seaside town in County Clare, Ireland
Town in Munster, IrelandLahinch
Irish: An LeachtTownLahinchLocation in IrelandCoordinates: 52°56′13″N 9°20′42″W / 52.937°N 9.345°W / 52.937; -9.345CountryIrelandProvinceMunsterCountyCounty ClarePopulation (2022) • Total1,018Irish Grid ReferenceR134877
Lahinch or Lehinch (Irish: An Leacht or Irish: Leacht Uí Chonchubhair, meaning 'The Memorial cairn of O'Connor') is a small town on Liscannor Bay, on the northwest coast of County Clare, Ireland. It lies on the N67 national secondary road, between Milltown Malbay and Ennistymon, roughly 75 kilometres (47 mi) by road southwest of Galway and 68 kilometres (42 mi) northwest of Limerick. The town is a seaside resort and is home to the Lahinch Golf Club. It has become a popular surfing location.
History and landmarks
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Dough Castle tower ruins
Several earth forts in the area indicate that the area was inhabited in ancient times, the most prominent of which is on the northern side of the hill above the village along the road to Ennistymon.
The fort is believed to have been built by the Danish Vikings and lies on a hill which later became known as "Doctor's Hill" after a doctor was murdered there. In 2020, an ancient monument, believed to be a cliff ring fort created thousands of years ago, was discovered near the coastal area of Lahinch.
In the Middle Ages, the O'Brien clan dominated the coastline; Liscannor Castle and Dough Castle are now ruins. The tower of Dough Castle stands on the golf course, and O'Brien's Bridge across the Inagh River is in the vicinity. As late as the 18th century, Lahinch was still a small hamlet with only a few fishermen's huts. It grew in the 19th century to over 1000 people by 1835, but it was not until later in the century that the infrastructure of the town developed and it became a seaside resort following the opening of the West Clare Railway in 1887. In 1883, the town was struck by a severe storm which destroyed the sea wall and promenade and damaged many buildings. Local governor William Edward Ellis overlooked the repair work which followed and the construction of a new sea wall and promenade were inaugurated by the wife of the Viceroy, Lady Aberdeen, in July 1893.
A book "Holiday Haunts of the West Coast of Clare" (1891) stated that Lahinch's "strand for length, width and evenness is not to be excelled in Ireland", noting that the "accommodation is excellent, neat and respectable". The following year, the establishment of Lahinch Golf Club further contributed to the growth of the town. In 1900, Gertrude Crowe of "Times Weekly" wrote: "Lahinch, a restful picturesque spot on the west coast of Clare, retains much of its primitive old world charm. In the good times, it is celebrated for the assemblage of rank and beauty and fashion who resorted thither for bathing. An 1822 Guide mentions that the neighbouring gentry was in the habit of having warmly contested races on the strand." Historically the people of the town celebrated Garland Sunday on the last Sunday of July, attracting people from across the county. Stalls lined the main street with numerous other attractions for the visitors.
On 22 and 23 September 1920, British RIC troops avenged the Rineen Ambush, in which they lost six men, by scorching some 26 buildings, including Lahinch Town Hall and the local dance club on the Promenade. Aideen Carrol describes the RIC as running "amok in Lahinch and Miltown Malbay in an orgy of burning and beating". Dan Lehane's house at Cragg near Lahinch was raided and he was interrogated at gunpoint, but to no avail.
The West Clare Railway closed in 1961, but the town has retained its popularity and in recent times has become a renowned surfing location. Today the town contains several small cafes and restaurants, a church, a pub, the Lahinch and Shamrock Hotels, a bookstore and a surfing school. Just outside the town is Moy House, a country house set in 15 acres of woodland on the River Moy, voted Country House of the Year by Georgina Campbell's Ireland in 2003. In the summer of 1996, Lahinch Seaworld and Leisure Centre with an aquarium, a 25 m indoor swimming pool, children's pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, and other facilities opened. In 2002 G. A. Finn published Lazy Days at Lahinch, a light-hearted collection of short stories about local golfers. A scene from the TV series Father Ted was shot on Lahinch beach. This scene was included in the "A Christmassy Ted" episode, released on DVD, in October 2009. Due to its coastal location, Lahinch often bears the brunt of Winter storms. In January, 2014, a major storm occurred, which produced massive spectacular waves, which crashed against the main Promenade. Pictures of the massive waves, received widespread media coverage.
Lahinch Church[edit]
The current Catholic church replaced an older church, at the same location, which was built in 1831. This church was demolished in 1947, due to its dilapidated condition. The new church, which was designed by Corr and McCormick architects, had a capacity for 450 parishioners. This was the same firm, which had designed the nearby Ennistymon Catholic church. The new church was significantly larger than the old church, which held just 250 parishioners. Creation of the new larger church proved a challenge for the architects, as the old site was small, had adjacent houses, and backed up to steep hill. This resulted in an adjacent house being demolished, and a retaining wall being constructed at the rear of the site. The new church was opened in 1954, by the then Bishop of Galway, Michael Browne, at a cost of 38,000 Irish pounds. The church is in the Modernist style, yet has an Italianate feel, being gable-fronted to the north, with its dominant square belfry. The roof has a low pitch, due to storms from the sea in winter. The sanctuary floor was made from imported Italian marble. Major alterations were carried out in 1991, when side alters were removed, and the sanctuary was remodeled, at a total cost of 45,000 Irish Pounds. In 1995, a three-light window depicting The Annunciation, The Nativity, and The Presentation was added. In addition, a circular stained-glass window, showing the Virgin as the Mother of the Seasons, was also added over the entrance.
