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Doonbeg is situated on the west coast of Ireland in Co. Clare, about 20 miles northeast from Loop Head and the Shannon estuary, and eighteen miles south of the Aran Islands. It offers a fair weather anchorage near a remote fishing pier where shallow draft vessels may come alongside with the small town of Doonbeg about a mile inshore.

Doonbeg is situated on the west coast of Ireland in Co. Clare, about 20 miles northeast from Loop Head and the Shannon estuary, and eighteen miles south of the Aran Islands. It offers a fair weather anchorage near a remote fishing pier where shallow draft vessels may come alongside with the small town of Doonbeg about a mile inshore.

Doonbeg is a good anchorage offering protection from all winds except for those with a northerly component to which it is entirely open. Attentive navigation is required for access as the bay is fringed by dangers on all sides and there are no supporting marks or lights. Hence a stranger should only approach Doonbeg in settled conditions with good visibility.
Please note

The entire bight between Killard Point and Mutton Island should only be approached in fine weather or with the benefit of local knowledge. In any developed conditions the sea almost constantly breaks over the rocky points, low shelving strands and ledges projecting from the coast here. During gales, breakers can be experienced at a considerable distance offshore.




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Keyfacts for Doonbeg
Facilities
Slipway available


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationAnchoring locationBerth alongside a deep water pier or raft up to other vesselsJetty or a structure to assist landingSet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
None listed

Protected sectors

Current wind over the protected quadrants
Minimum depth
3 metres (9.84 feet).

Approaches
3 stars: Attentive navigation; daylight access with dangers that need attention.
Shelter
4 stars: Good; assured night's sleep except from specific quarters.



Last modified
May 17th 2018

Summary

A good location with attentive navigation required for access.

Facilities
Slipway available


Nature
No fees for anchoring or berthing in this locationAnchoring locationBerth alongside a deep water pier or raft up to other vesselsJetty or a structure to assist landingSet near a village or with a village in the immediate vicinity

Considerations
None listed



Position and approaches
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Haven position

52° 44.430' N, 009° 32.168' W

This is the head of the pier located on the western shore at the southern end of Doonbeg Bay.

What is the initial fix?

The following Doonbeg initial fix will set up a final approach:
52° 45.785' N, 009° 33.780' W
This is set about half way between the Doughmore Shoal and the mainland. It is set on the 143°(T) alignment of Killard Point with Doonbeg Castle, located a mile and a half to the southeast. A mile on a course of 125°(T) will pass to the east of Killard Point and into the mouth of Doonbeg Bay.


What are the key points of the approach?

Offshore details are available in western Ireland’s Coastal Overview for Loop Head to Slyne Head Route location.


Not what you need?
Click the 'Next' and 'Previous' buttons to progress through neighbouring havens in a coastal 'clockwise' or 'anti-clockwise' sequence. Below are the ten nearest havens to Doonbeg for your convenience.
Ten nearest havens by straight line charted distance and bearing:
  1. Mutton Island - 4.3 nautical miles NNE
  2. Seafield (Quilty) - 4.5 nautical miles NNE
  3. Kilkee - 5.4 nautical miles SW
  4. Kilrush - 6.6 nautical miles SSE
  5. Hog Island - 7.2 nautical miles SSE
  6. Carrigaholt Bay - 10.3 nautical miles SW
  7. Liscannor Bay - 13 nautical miles NNE
  8. Ross Bay - 15.4 nautical miles SW
  9. Kilbaha Bay - 15.7 nautical miles SW
  10. Foynes Harbour - 17.2 nautical miles ESE
These havens are ordered by straight line charted distance and bearing, and can be reordered by compass direction or coastal sequence:
  1. Mutton Island - 4.3 miles NNE
  2. Seafield (Quilty) - 4.5 miles NNE
  3. Kilkee - 5.4 miles SW
  4. Kilrush - 6.6 miles SSE
  5. Hog Island - 7.2 miles SSE
  6. Carrigaholt Bay - 10.3 miles SW
  7. Liscannor Bay - 13 miles NNE
  8. Ross Bay - 15.4 miles SW
  9. Kilbaha Bay - 15.7 miles SW
  10. Foynes Harbour - 17.2 miles ESE
To find locations with the specific attributes you need try:

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Chart
Please use our integrated Navionics chart to appraise the haven and its approaches. Navionics charts feature in premier plotters from B&G, Raymarine, Magellan and are also available on tablets. Open the chart in a larger viewing area by clicking the expand to 'new tab' or the 'full screen' option.

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How to get in?
Doonbeg Bay as seen from the south
Image: Lorigan Media


Doonbeg Bay lies in the south part of Mal Bay and is entered between Killard Point and Magrath's Point. This rocky creek is open to the north and provides temporary summer anchorage for leisure craft and fishing vessels.

Initial fix location The Doonbeg initial fix is set about half way between the Doughmore Shoal and the mainland. A course of 125°T for a mile will pass to the east of Killard Point and into the mouth of Doonbeg Bay. Keep well off Killard Point as a reef extends for 150 metres to the east off the point.

After passing Killard Point take a west-of-centre course up the centre of the bay towards Dunbeg Castle, not Doonmore at the bottom of the pier, to avoid a reef that extends 400 metres west from Magrath's Point.


Doonbeg Pier set beside Doonmore Castle
Image: Lorigan Media


Haven location Anchor in sand about 300 metres north of the pierhead where the local fishing boats will be seen.

Doonbeg Pier, set beside Doonmore Castle, is a small but newly constructed 70-metre long concrete pier and slipway. It is used for fishing boats, such as crab and lobster boats, and small pleasure craft including jet skis as well as the traditional currach boats. The outer length of the pier has approximately 1.2 metres low water springs and is founded on bedrock. The adjacent seabed has been dredged down to rock level in order to facilitate larger trawlers accessing the pier.

Vessels can come alongside at the high water or land at the slip located alongside the southern side of the pier.


Why visit here?
Doonbeg derives its name from the Irish Dún Beag that means ‘Small Fort’. This is based on the current, or possibly an earlier fortification, located at the river crossing inshore from the head of the bay.

The large number of forts located in the Doonbeg area proves that it was populated during the Iron Age, and the settlement at the current river crossing has been in existence since medieval times. First reports of the area’s origins can be traced back to the 6th Century. The adjacent Killard, Cill Aird meaning ‘Church on the Hill’, was named after a church founded by St. Senan, patron saint of West Clare. This was almost destroyed in the year 801 when, as we are told in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, a great earthquake occurred in West Clare that resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people. The sea divided the land and large tracts of the coastline were lost beneath the waves leaving only a few islands, e.g. Mutton and Mattle. St. Senan’s Church survived the disaster and Senan’s Oratory was built on this same site as the original Killard Church, now a ruin, in about 1000 A.D. It continued as the principal place of worship for the people of the parish up to 1651. That year, Cromwellian soldiers sacked both Killard Church and Kilferagh Church in the neighbouring parish of Kilkee.

Doonmore Castle, adjacent to the harbour, derives its name from the Irish Dún Moor meaning ‘the big fort’ and was built by Philip Mac Sheeda Nor McCon. The Annuals of the Four Masters refer to it as Dun More Mhic in the 16th Century. It was inhabited during 1808 but classed as a ruin in 1837. The original castle was considerably higher until a turret, at the southwestern corner, fell in 1898 bringing most of the walls of the upper room with it. The rest was pulled down afterwards leaving only the lower portion, from the stone vault down, which remains intact today.

Doonbeg Castle was likewise built in the 16th century by Philip MacSheeda Mor Mac Con for the O'Brien clan. The village grew up around the castle that had a contentious past. Turlough MacMahon of West Corca Baiscinn took it from the O'Brien clan in 1585. After his death in 1595, at the end of a fierce siege, the castle was surrendered again to the O'Briens. Then, as victors, they hanged the entire garrison. In 1893, the castle stood 60 feet high with a frontage of 45 feet from west to east and a depth of 33 feet from south to north. By that time it lacked gables, battlements and chimneys. Despite its condition, seven families lived in the tower. In 1907 two families lived there, but a few years later a man occupied one of the small western rooms, and further later it continued to be occupied by a schoolmaster up to 1930. Finally, locals used its upper floor with its mossy overgrowth as a picnic spot since it afforded privacy and beautiful views.

In September 1939, Doonbeg Castle was in a dangerous condition due to the effects of nature and a crumbling river bank at its foot. Sadly, most of the castle came down then, leaving only the north-western corner standing. There have been no appreciable structural changes in the last 40 years and it remains today a strong link with the areas rich heritage. Visitors who come here will find picnic areas on the banks of the river near the bridge where it is also possible to fish.

Today Doonbeg is surrounded by farmland of which the majority is used for dairy farming. Visitors will find a host of marked walks in the area. Notable amongst these is a walk to the south from Doonbeg, along the coast towards Kilkee. It takes a walker along magnificent cliffs including the horseshoe cliff that derives its name from the spectacular shape and double cave contained at the base. The White Strand beach in Killard likewise attracts lots of visitors during the summer due to the availability of two beaches for safe swimming and the cleanliness of the water. For golfers, there is the Doonbeg golf course that was designed by two-time British Open Champion Greg Norman. Spanning 1.5 miles of crescent-shaped beach and century-old sand dunes, the Par-72 course offers views across the Atlantic from the green, the fairway, or tee of 16 of the 18 holes.

The town is very much worth the walk with traditional music and dancing is very popular in the pubs. During the sailing season, there are special events that include a jazz festival on June’s Whit Weekend and The Doonbeg Seafood Festival that takes place mid to late July. The town’s web site contains a host of visitor information for the area.


What facilities are available?
The town of Doonbeg has all village amenities, but no specific yachting facilities other than a slipway. Though situated on the extreme western seaboard, it is easily accessible by road and air. It is located midway between Kilrush and Galway on the N67 road. There are several pubs, two shops, a post office and a village hall and tourist office. 65 km inland is Shannon Airport and there are bus services linking Doonbeg with all important cities and towns of Ireland.


Any security concerns?
Never an issue known to have occurred to a vessel anchored off Doonbeg.


With thanks to:
Anthony Lucey, Area Officer, Irish Coast Guard Kilkee.







Aerial overviews of Doonbeg



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