County Clare was formerly part of the kingdom of Thomond (north Munster) which comprised,
in addition to Clare, portions of Limerick, Offaly and Tipperary. Clare formed, however,
the central or core territory of the old kingdom and by the time the earldom of Thomond
was created in the 16th century, its extent was limited, more or less, to the present
county.
 The earliest inhabitants of Clare are part of pre-history and there is, therefore,
no certain knowledge of who they were or where they came from. The Leabhar Gabh?a,
or Book of Invasions, a compendium of largely mythological accounts of successive
occupations by overseas land-seekers, connects Clare with the Fir Bolg.
This people, after various adventures, settled in the west of Ireland and are
identified with Magh Adhair in Clare, Lough Cutra in Galway, and D? Aongus in the
Aran Islands.
Aistear Iniscealtra, Mountshannon
 Ireland's most unique project provides an informative exploration of Irish Spirituality over 9,500 years.
There is a maze, outdoor performance area, viewing shelter overlooking Lough Derg,
picnic and recreational area. The project will function as an introduction into an area
steeped in history, tradition and culture.
Holy Island
 Travel to Holy Island
(Inis Cealtra), one of Ireland's most famous monastic sites, can be reached by boat from Mountshannon. Its many attractions include a well preserved Round Tower, the ruins of 6 churches and an extraorinary cell like structure.
Killaloe Heritage Centre
Killaloe Heritage Centre combines the old and the new in an exhibition tracing the history of Killaloe, Capital
of Ireland 1002-1014. The visitor information centre provides a full range of services,
including reservations for cruiser hire, nightly mediaeval banquet feasts, etc.
(See the Attractions page on this website for many other sites of historical importance.)
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