County Clare is situated on the West Coast of Ireland, and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Shannon River and Counties Galway, Tipperary and Limerick. The main geographical features of the county are dominated by the River Shannon and her lakes, and the karst landscape of the Burren. The Cliffs of Moher are probably the most famous cliffs in Ireland, and are well worth a visit.
The history of County Clare dates back to the Stone Age, and dotted around the county are dolmens and wedge tombs, particularly in the Burren area. During the Great famine, County Clare's population fell from 286,000 in 1841 to half that figure in 1871.