Cliffs of Moher Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Cliffs of Moher
Native name Irish: Aillte an Mhothair
Looking north towards O'Brien's Tower
Nearest city	Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland
Elevation	155 m (509 ft)
Owner	Clare County Council, private farmers
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

The Cliffs of Moher (which means Aillte an Mhothair in Irish) are amazing sea cliffs in County Clare, Ireland. They stretch for about 14 kilometers (9 miles) along the coast.

At their lowest point, called Hag's Head, the cliffs rise 120 meters (390 feet) above the Atlantic Ocean. Further north, they reach their highest point of 214 meters (702 feet). This super tall spot is just north of O'Brien's Tower. This round stone tower was built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien.

From the cliffs and the tower, you can see many cool places. These include the Aran Islands in Galway Bay and the Maumturks and Twelve Pins mountains. You can also spot Loop Head to the south. The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's most popular places to visit, with about 1.5 million people coming each year!

What's in a Name? The Cliffs of Moher
Visiting the Cliffs: A Popular Irish Spot
- The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre
  - How Many People Visit?
  - Awards and Recognition
- Viewing the Cliffs Safely
Cliffs' Story: Rocks and Wildlife
- Amazing Wildlife at the Cliffs
Getting There: Transport Options
Gallery
See also

What's in a Name? The Cliffs of Moher

A postcard from the late 1800s showing the cliffs

The Cliffs of Moher get their name from an old fort called Mothar or Moher. This fort used to stand on Hag's Head, which is the southernmost part of the cliffs. Today, the Moher Tower stands where the old fort once was.

The fort was still there in 1780. But it was taken down in 1808. Its stones were used to build a lookout tower. This new tower was meant to warn people if the French tried to invade during the Napoleonic wars.

Visiting the Cliffs: A Popular Irish Spot

The Cliffs of Moher are a top tourist spot in Ireland. In 2006, nearly one million people visited the official visitor center. Including other nearby areas, about 1.5 million people visit the cliffs every year. In 2022, about 1.1 million people came, with many from the U.S.

Since 2011, the cliffs have been part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark. This is a special area recognized by UNESCO for its unique geology. The cliffs are also a "signature point" on the Wild Atlantic Way, a famous tourist route.

You can reach the cliffs from many spots. There is also an 18-kilometer (11-mile) Cliff Walk. Most visitors, though, go to the official visitor center.

The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre

The visitor centre built into the hillside

In the 1990s, local leaders wanted visitors to enjoy the cliffs without building too many obvious structures. So, they built a modern visitor center called the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience. It was built right into a hillside near the cliffs.

The center was designed to be good for the environment. It uses renewable energy, like geothermal heating and cooling. It also has solar panels and recycles water.

This amazing center cost €32 million to plan and build. It took 17 years and opened in February 2007. Inside, you can find interactive displays about the cliffs' geology, history, plants, and animals. There's also a huge screen showing a bird's-eye view of the cliffs. You can even see videos from the underwater caves! The center also has two cafés and several shops.

How Many People Visit?

In 2016, the visitor center had 1,427,000 visits. This was a 14% increase from 2015. In 2017, it was the second most popular paid attraction in Ireland, with 1,527,000 visitors. This number grew to 1,580,010 visitors in 2018.

Because so many people visit, especially at busy times, the center can get crowded. To help with this, visitors are now encouraged to come at less busy times. For example, tour buses get discounts for booking off-peak slots. The center also stays open later in July and August.

Awards and Recognition

The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience won an award in 2007. It was recognized for its "Atlantic Edge" exhibition. The judges said the entire visitor center was "one of the best facilities that the judges had ever seen."

Viewing the Cliffs Safely

The official Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk is 18 kilometers (11 miles) long. It goes from Hag's Head to Doolin, passing the Visitor Centre and O'Brien's Tower.

Near the visitor center, there are two paths. The official path is set back from the edge for safety. There is also an unofficial path that runs closer to the cliff edge. In July 2016, this unofficial path was temporarily closed because of falling rocks. Visitors are always warned to stay on the official path. Despite signs, some people still go off the safe trail, which can be dangerous. The coastal walking trail was closed in February 2025 due to these safety concerns.

You can also see the cliffs from the sea! Separate ferry trips take tourists below the cliffs. Sometimes, small planes from Connemara Airport offer views from above.

Cliffs' Story: Rocks and Wildlife

The cliffs seen from the beach below

The Cliffs of Moher are mostly made of layers of shale and sandstone. The oldest rocks are at the bottom. These rocks formed between 313 and 326 million years ago. Back then, a river carried sand, silt, and clay into an ancient ocean basin. Over millions of years, these sediments hardened into the rock layers we see today.

The cliffs are like a giant book of Earth's history. Each layer, from a few centimeters to several meters thick, tells about a different event. You can even see marks left by ancient worms and other sea creatures!

Today, ocean waves constantly hit the cliffs. This causes erosion, where the waves wear away the rock at the bottom. This makes parts of the cliff collapse. This process creates cool shapes like sea caves and sea stacks. Branaunmore is a 67-meter (220-foot) tall sea stack below O'Brien's Tower. It used to be part of the cliffs, but erosion separated it. You can also see large sea arches, especially at Hag's Head.

Amazing Wildlife at the Cliffs

At busy times, about 30,000 pairs of birds live on the cliffs! There are more than 20 different kinds of birds. These include cute Atlantic puffins, which live in big groups on the cliffs and on a small place called Goat Island. You can also spot razorbills. The cliffs are a very important place for birds.

Many sea animals live here too. You might see grey seals, porpoises, dolphins, and even minke whales. Sometimes, you can spot huge basking sharks or sunfish. On land, you might see wild goats, foxes, badgers, and the Irish hare. Of course, there are also farm animals nearby.

Getting There: Transport Options

Bus Éireann route 350 connects the Cliffs of Moher to several towns. These include Ennis, Ennistymon, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna, Kinvara, and Galway. Buses run several times a day. There is also a private shuttle bus that goes to the cliffs from Doolin.