Fanore
Fanore is a small village in the Killonaghan civil parish of County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht, an Irish-speaking community, until 1956.
Geography
Location
Lying on the R477 road between Ballyvaughan and Doolin, Fanore has an extensive sandy beach and sand dunes around the mouth of the Caher River. It is also officially recognised as the longest village in Europe.History
Remains of a Mesolithic dwelling have been found on the north bank of the river.Nineteenth-century historical maps highlight buildings of interest in Fanore including Fanore Lodge as well as its archaeological heritage.
Economy
The village is very popular with walkers, surfers, rock climbers, tourists and is particularly interesting to botanists, owing to its location on the edge of the Burren - renowned for its unique flora and fauna. It has a pub, a post office/shop, and a restaurant, as well as a surfing school near the beach.Notable people
- John Breslin, Irish academic, entrepreneur, author
- Maureen Dowd, American columnist and author, daughter of Michael Dowd from Fanore
- John O'Donohue, Irish poet, author, priest, and Hegelian philosopher, laid to rest in Craggagh Cemetery
- Francis Stuart, Irish writer, former resident of Fanore, laid to rest in Craggagh Cemetery