O'Brien's Tower

Burren Way, Lislorkan North, Co. Clare, Ireland
1-90 Years

Description

Are you trying to discover the best things to do with kids in County Clare? O'Brien's Tower is a historic panoramic viewing tower venue situated at the highest point of the world-famous Cliffs of Moher in County Clare. It serves as an incredible coastal lookout destination where families can climb a nineteenth-century stone tower, step out onto an elevated outdoor viewing platform, and enjoy an educational day out surrounded by sweeping ocean views.

Prices start from £0.00 for toddlers and children under twelve years old when accompanied by an adult, while standard individual adult admissions apply as part of general Cliffs of Moher entry passes. Booking your tickets online gives you access to the visitor centre, the surrounding secure cliff paths, and admission up into the historic tower itself.

If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that perfectly combines breathtaking maritime scenery with a real medieval-style tower climbing adventure, this landmark is an exceptional option. It provides a highly memorable, secure outdoor environment where older kids can spot wild seabird colonies while younger ones feel like king of the castle looking out over the Atlantic.

Features

  • Free
  • Host birthday parties: No

Features

Key Features

  • Educational Day Out: The historic monument teaches children about nineteenth-century tourism, local folklore, and the ancient stone architecture used to build the lookout.
  • Interactive Exhibits: Visitors can access the lower level of the tower to look at informative historical displays detailing the building's lineage.

Detailed Highlights

  • The Spiral Stone Staircase: A narrow winding stone staircase leads visitors up to the roof level. Children find climbing up the tight stone steps incredibly exciting, as it feels like exploring a real ancient castle tower.
  • The Rooftop Viewing Platform: The ultimate reward at the top of the climb, providing a high-altitude vantage point. Kids will love looking out across the sea to spot the Aran Islands, Galway Bay, and the distant mountains of Connemara.
  • The Cornelius O'Brien Story: A mini-historical exhibit located inside the stone walls. School-aged children can discover how a local landlord built this tower back in 1835 specifically to impress visiting tourists.
  • The Seabird Binocular Lookouts: The tower's high platforms make it a perfect spot for children to peer through binoculars. Kids can watch thousands of puffins, guillemots, and kittiwakes nesting on the sheer cliff faces below.
  • The Protected Cliffside Walkways: Paved flagstone paths securely lined with stone barriers lead right up to the tower entrance. It gives families a safe environment to walk along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean without safety worries.

Specific Named Attractions & Features

  • The 1835 Cornelius O'Brien Observation Tower
  • The Rooftop Panoramic Viewing Wall
  • The Historic Lower Level Exhibition Room
  • The Winding Castle-Style Spiral Staircase
  • The O'Brien's Tower Meadow Safe Trailway

Facilities

  • Toilets & Changing: Fully equipped public toilets and accessible baby changing rooms are available inside the main visitor centre building nearby.
  • Buggy Parking: No indoor stroller parking exists inside the historic tower, and the narrow spiral staircase means pushchairs must be left outside with a family member or folded at the base.
  • Food Options: The main site features two cafes inside the visitor pavilion serving hot soup, kids' snack boxes, and warm drinks, though the tower itself is a food-free monument.

What to see

What Visitors Love

  • The sense of achievement kids feel when completing the stone staircase climb makes the effort entirely worthwhile.
  • Staff standing at the tower entrance are exceptionally friendly and love sharing local pirate and castle stories with young children.
  • Having secure, high stone barriers all the way up to the tower gives parents complete peace of mind while walking with active children.
  • The views from the top are completely unmatched, keeping even hard-to-please teenagers fully engaged.

What Visitors Don't Like

  • The spiral stone steps inside are quite narrow, meaning families have to move in a single-file line and wait for others to pass.
  • The rooftop platform is completely open to the elements, making it uncomfortable if the wild Atlantic rain sets in.

Pro-Tips

  • Hold On to Your Hats: The wind speeds around the elevated tower platform can be incredibly strong, so ensure children have secure chin-straps on hats and tightly zipped jackets.
  • Check the Weather Warning System: The main visitor site operates an active safety status notice system; check their website before travelling to ensure the upper tower paths are not closed due to high winds.

Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open daily throughout the year, matching the main visitor centre schedule from 9:00 am until seasonal closing times ranging from 5:00 pm in winter up to 9:00 pm during mid-summer. Access into the tower may close early during adverse weather events.

Address: Burren Way, Lislorkan North, Co. Clare, Ireland

Post Code:

Council: Clare County Council

County: County Clare

  • By Bus: The regular Bus Éireann 350 route stops directly at the main visitor centre terminal loop from Galway and Ennis.
  • By Car: Positioned on the wild Atlantic way along the R478 road, roughly 4 miles north of Liscannor village, with clear directional highway signage.
  • Parking: A massive, multi-zone customer car park sits directly across the road from the main entrance pavilion, with parking fees covered inside your pre-booked ticket.

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