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Cliffs of Moher, County Clare
Photograph: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Province of Munster

County Clare

An Clár

“un KLAWR” · the plain, or the board, from clár, a level place — or a plank

Known as The Banner County. Nobody has settled it. One account has a banner captured from the enemy at Ramillies in 1706 by the Clare Dragoons of the Irish Brigade; another has the banners carried for Daniel O'Connell when he won the Clare election of 1828 and forced Catholic Emancipation. Both are good stories and neither is proven. The origin is not settled.

Did you know? The earliest people buried beneath Poulnabrone dolmen in the Burren died more than a thousand years before the Great Pyramid of Giza was built.
A fact like this for every county and every age →

Compare with another county → · Printable one-page summary →

Clare by the numbers
Munster province 127,938 people · 2022 census 3,450 km² · 7th of 32 by size County town Ennis -26% in the Famine · 286,394 people in 1841, 212,000 in 1851 (approx.) 11 baronies · 2,265 townlands 1930s folklore · the Schools' Collection ↗ 60 surnames 4 towns on the site 1,415 daily Irish speakers Highest point Moylussa, 532 m 5 senior All-Irelands 30 notable people born here 450 historic buildings recorded Everything on the site about Clare ↓
Carlow Cavan Cork Donegal Dublin Clare Galway Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan Offaly Roscommon Sligo Tipperary Waterford Westmeath Wexford Wicklow Antrim Armagh Down Fermanagh Londonderry Tyrone

Open the atlas ↗

The history of Clare

Clare holds the oldest known evidence of people in Ireland: a bear's kneecap from the Alice and Gwendoline Cave near Clarecastle, cut by a butcher around 10,500 BC. It was dug up in 1902 but not studied for more than a century; identified in 2011 and published in 2016, it pushed Ireland's human story back 2,500 years. The Neolithic people who followed left the county among the richest in the country for dolmens, Poulnabrone in the Burren the best known, with burials dated to about 3800 BC. Ptolemy's map of about AD 100 puts a tribe called the Gangani here.

In the early Middle Ages Clare belonged to Connacht, but it was taken into Munster and settled by the Dál gCais, and became Thomond — North Munster — the homeland of Brian Boru. From 1118 Thomond was a kingdom of its own under the O'Briens. The Normans' attempt at a lordship there ended when Richard de Clare was killed at Dysert O'Dea in 1318.

In 1543 Murrough O'Brien surrendered his kingdom to Henry VIII and received it back as Earl of Thomond. Henry Sidney shired Thomond as County Clare and placed it in Connacht; it did not return to Munster for good until after 1660. The nickname the Banner County has more than one suggested origin — the banners Clare's Dragoons captured at Ramillies, or the banner of Catholic emancipation raised when Daniel O'Connell won the Clare by-election of 1828.

Drawn from the History section of the Wikipedia article on County Clare ↗, rewritten here and adding nothing it does not say; licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. The chronology above is this site's own; where the two differ, the article is the one to check.

The land — from Wikipedia

Clare is north-west of the River Shannon covering a total area of . Clare is the seventh largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties in area and the 19th largest in terms of population. It is bordered by two counties in Munster and one county in Connacht: County Limerick to the south, County Tipperary to the east, and County Galway to the north. Clare's nickname is the Banner County.

The county is divided into the baronies of Bunratty Lower, Bunratty Upper, Burren, Clonderalaw, Corcomroe, Ibrickan, Inchiquin, Islands, Moyarta, Tulla Lower and Tulla Upper. These in turn are divided into civil parishes, which are themselves divided into townlands. These divisions are cadastral, defining land boundaries and ownership, rather than administrative.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Clans & surnames of Clare
Ahern Ó hEachthighearna Gaelic sept · “descendant of Eachthighearna, 'lord of horses'” Carmody Ó Cearmada Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cearmaid — a very ancient personal name” Carty Ó Cárthaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cárthach, 'loving'” Clancy Mac Fhlannchaidh Gaelic learned family · “son of Flannchadh, 'the red warrior'” Clohessy Ó Clochasaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Clochasach” Colgan Ó Colgáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Colga — from colg, 'sword' or 'thorn'” Conroy Ó Maolchonaire Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolchonaire, 'follower of Conaire'” Considine Mac Consaidín Gaelic sept · “son of Constantine” Conway Ó Connmhaigh Gaelic learned family · “descendant of Connmhach” Cooney Ó Cuana Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cuana” Creagh Craobhach Gaelic sept (Dalcassian) · “'of the branch' — from craobh, a branch” Cusack Ciomhsóg Norman · “from Cussac in Guyenne” Davoren Ó Duibhdábhoireann Gaelic sept · “descendant of Dubhdábhoireann, 'black of the two Burrens'” Deegan Ó Duibhginn Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Dubhcheann, ‘black head’” Drennan Ó Draighneáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Draighneán, ‘blackthorn’” Enright Mac Ionnrachtaigh Gaelic sept · “son of Ionnrachtach, 'unlawful'” Galvin Ó Gealbháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gealbhán, 'bright-white'” Gorman Mac Gormáin Gaelic sept · “son of Gormán, 'the noble dark one'” Griffin Ó Gríobhtha Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gríobhtha, 'griffin-like'” Hanrahan Ó hAnradháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Anradhán, 'warrior, champion'” Harkin Ó hEarcáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Earcán, a diminutive of earc, ‘red, speckled’” Hartigan Ó hArtagáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Artagán, 'little Art'” Hassett Ó hAiseadha Gaelic sept · “descendant of Aisidh, 'strife'” Hehir Ó hAichir Gaelic sept · “descendant of Aichear, ‘sharp, bitter, angry’” Hickey Ó hÍcidhe Gaelic learned family · “descendant of the healer (íce, 'healing')” Hogan Ó hÓgáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ógán, 'the young one'” Hurley Ó hUrthuile / Ó Muirthile Gaelic sept · “descendant of Urthuile — 'sea-tide'” Hynes Ó hEidhin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Eidhean, ‘ivy’” Keane Ó Catháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cathán, 'little battler'” Kennedy Ó Cinnéide Gaelic sept · “descendant of Cinnéidigh, 'helmeted head'” Killeen Ó Cillín Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Cillín, a pet form of Ceallach” Looney Ó Luanaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Luanach, 'warrior' (luan, champion)” Lydon Ó Lodáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Lodán” Lynch Ó Loingsigh / de Lench Gaelic sept & Norman tribe · “descendant of Loingseach, 'mariner'” Lysaght Mac Giolla Iasachta Gaelic sept · “son of Giolla Iasachta, ‘strange youth’” MacNamara Mac Conmara Gaelic sept · “son of Cú Mara, 'hound of the sea'” Madigan Ó Madagáin Gaelic sept · “the same as Ó Madáin (Madden)” McGrath Mac Craith Gaelic learned family · “son of Mac Raith, 'son of grace'” McInerney Mac an Airchinnigh Gaelic learned family · “son of the erenagh — the hereditary steward of church lands” McMahon Mac Mathghamhna Gaelic dynasty · “son of Mathghamhain, 'bear'” Minogue Ó Muineog Gaelic sept · “descendant of Muineog — a diminutive of manach, 'monk'” Moloney Ó Maoldhomhnaigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maoldomhnaigh, 'devoted to Sunday, or to the Church'” Moroney Ó Maolruanaidh Gaelic septs (several) · “descendant of Maolruanaidh, ‘follower of Ruanaidh’” Mulqueen Ó Maolchaoin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Maolcaoin, 'gentle chief'” Naughton Ó Neachtain Gaelic sept · “descendant of Neachtan — an old name linked to water” Nealon Ó Nialláin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Niallán, 'little Niall'” Normoyle Mac Confhormaoile Gaelic sept · “son of Cú Fhormaoile, ‘hound of Formoyle’, a place in Co. Clare” O'Brien Ó Briain Gaelic dynasty · “descendant of Brian (Boru)” O'Callaghan Ó Ceallacháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Ceallachán of Cashel” O'Dea Ó Deághaidh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Deághaidh, a tenth-century chieftain” O'Grady Ó Gráda Gaelic sept · “descendant of Gráda, 'noble, illustrious'” O'Halloran Ó hAllmhuráin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Allmhurán, 'the stranger from over the sea'” Quinn Ó Cuinn Gaelic sept · “descendant of Conn, 'chief'” Reidy Ó Riada Gaelic sept · “descendant of Riada, ‘tamed, trained’” Sexton Ó Seasnáin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Seasnán” Shanahan Ó Seanacháin Gaelic sept · “descendant of Seanachán, 'the old, wise one'” Sheedy Mac Síoda Gaelic sept · “son of Síoda, 'silk'” Slattery Ó Slatara Gaelic sept · “descendant of Slatra, 'the strong, bold'” Troy Ó Troighthigh Gaelic sept · “descendant of Troightheach, 'the foot-soldier'” Vaughan Ó Mocháin / Vaughan Gaelic sept & Welsh · “Welsh fychan, 'small' — adopted for Ó Mocháin”

Tap a name for its full page — story, homeland map and neighbours. Or see all surnames from County Clare, with the other counties each name is tied to.

Towns, saints and legends of Clare

Towns. Ennis Inis (27,923, 2022), Kilrush Cill Rois, Shannon Sionainn, Killaloe Cill Dalua. What every town name means →

Saints. St Senan (8 March).

Legends set here. Hag’s Head — Mal’s last leap. On the atlas →

First names that belong here. Brian, Muircheartach, Seanán, Lachtna, Mathúin, Irial, Murchadh.

Irish in Clare today

At the 2022 census, 54,437 people in Clare said they could speak Irish. 1,415 speak it every day outside school, and 3,142 weekly.

4 primary schools here teach entirely through Irish (2025/26, 591 pupils).

CSO, Census 2022, table SAP2022T3T2CTY. Every county compared →

The top of Clare

Moylussa, 532 metres, in the Slieve Bernagh.

National park: The Burren (1991). All the national parks →

Wrecks on its coast: Edmond (1850), Fulmar (1886), Inishtrahull (1894). Shipwrecks of Ireland →

Rivers and loughs: River Shannon, River Fergus, Lough Derg.

MountainViews, via Wikipedia. Every county's highest point → · Rivers and loughs →

Clare in the All-Ireland

Hurling: 5 senior titles (1914, 1995, 1997, 2013, 2024); 3 finals lost.
Football: no senior title; 1 final lost.

Every county's All-Ireland titles →

Born in Clare

From Wikidata: people whose recorded birthplace is in the county, who have a Wikipedia article and are no longer living, with dates shown only where the article confirms them, ordered by how many languages Wikipedia covers them in. Traditional birthplaces of early saints are as Wikidata records them. Dates are left off where the sources disagree.

People in Clare, census by census

Clare had 286,394 people in 1841 and has 127,938 now (-55%). Its peak was 286,394 in 1841; its low point 73,597 in 1966, -74% of 1841. It has never regained the population it had before the Famine.

1821183118411851186118711881189119011911192619361946195119561961196619711979198119861991199620022006201120162022
208,089258,322286,394212,440166,305147,864141,457124,483112,334104,23295,06489,87985,06481,32977,17673,70273,59775,00884,91987,56791,34490,91894,006103,277110,950117,196118,817127,419

Census returns as tabulated in the county's Wikipedia article. All 32 counties, 1821 to today →

Hidden Clare — the places the buses miss
  • Poulnabrone dolmen
    Burren portal tomb holding the remains of 33 people who died a thousand years before the pyramids — one with a flint arrowhead in his hip.
  • St Brigid's Well, Liscannor
    A grotto so thick with photos, rosaries, crutches and letters that the walls have vanished — 1,500 years of pleading, still going on.
  • Killinaboy church
    A ruined church with a sheela-na-gig above the door and a double-armed cross on its gable, the 'Cross of Lorraine', hinting at pilgrims and relics from the Continent.
  • Scattery Island
    A monastic island with a round tower, a Viking base, a 19th-century pilots' village — all empty since 1978, in the mouth of the Shannon.
  • Dysert O'Dea
    May 1318: the O'Briens destroy the Norman de Clares. Thomond stays Gaelic for 300 years. A round tower and high cross mark the ground.
On the ground in Clare

Every pin is placed by its documented coordinates. All the monuments of Ireland →

Everything on the site about County Clare

The county

History

Monuments and heritage

Coast and country

People and culture

Quick answers
What is the Irish name for County Clare?

An Clár. Clare is one of the 6 counties of Munster (Cúige Mumhan).

Who ruled County Clare in the Middle Ages?

Around 1014 it was held by Thomond (O'Brien); by 1450, Thomond (O'Brien). The full era-by-era chronology is on this page.

What surnames come from County Clare?

Names historically associated with Clare include Ahern, Carmody, Carty, Clancy, Clohessy, Colgan, Conroy, Considine, among others.

What does An Clár mean?

An Clár, said “un KLAWR”, means the plain, or the board — from clár, a level place — or a plank. From Clarecastle, An Clár, where a board bridge crossed the Fergus.

What is the population of County Clare?

127,938 at the 2022 census, against 286,394 in 1841, before the Famine.

What is the county town of Clare?

Ennis. County Clare covers about 3,450 km², which makes it the 7th largest of the 32 counties.

Who are famous people from County Clare?

Among the best-known people born in Clare are Edna O'Brien, Brian Boru, Patrick Hillery, Pat McDonald, William Smith O'Brien, John Philip Holland. The full list, with their birthplaces, is on this page.

What did the Famine do to County Clare?

The census counted 286,394 people in Clare in 1841 and 212,000 in 1851 (the 1851 figure is approximate): a change of -26% in ten years, through death and emigration.

Sources for this page

A clean copy for school projects or the family file; collapsed sections print in full.

The chronology of who held the county is this site's own reading of the standard histories onto today's county borders, and says so where the fit is rough. Quoted passages are marked and licensed. Spotted an error? Say so — corrections are credited.

Trace your ancestors in Clare

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