County Clare (Irish: Contae an Chláir) is a county in the province of Munster in the Southern part of the republic of Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The county had a population of 127,938 at the 2022 census.[5] The county seat and largest settlement is Ennis. The local authority for the county is Clare County Council.
Clare is north-west of the River Shannon covering a total area of 1,330 sq mi. Clare is the seventh largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties in area and the 19th largest in terms of population Clare's nickname is the Banner County.
County Clare contains The Burren, a unique region, which contains rare flowers and fauna. The vast, moon-like Burren in County Clare is one of Ireland's most compelling landscapes. Here, cool grey rock etched with crevices and cracks tumbles down to the wild blue Atlantic Ocean. The result is one of nature's most extraordinary phenomena: a huge rocky pavement dotted with rock formations, caves and fossils, as well as an incredible array of flowers, from native species to Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants. At the western edge of The Burren, facing the Atlantic Ocean, are the Cliffs of Moher. The Cliffs of Moher is one of Ireland’s most visited natural attractions. The cliffs stretch for 5 miles and were named after a ruined fort that was demolished during the Napoleonic Wars (Mothar is Gaelic for “ruin of a fort”). Climbing to 702 feet, the sheer-edged cliffs offer views as far south as the Dingle Peninsula and the Maum Turk Mountains in Connemara to the north (on a clear day, of course!). A visit to Bunratty Castle is one of the most popular things to do in Shannon. Described as “the most complete authentic castle in Ireland”, Bunratty Castle was built by the MacNamara family in 1475 on a former Viking encampment. Now filled with medieval furnishings and artworks, it hosts banquets every night at 5.30 p.m. and 8.45 p.m. The surrounding Folk Park covers 26 acres and has 30 reconstructed historic buildings in a “living village” setting. Stroll down the street and experience 19th-century Irish life for yourself and don’t miss the stunning walled gardens at Bunratty House.

County Clare has a strong history of Traditional music and the county has many traditional music festivals. English is the main language spoken in Clare but there are several pockets of the Gaeltacht, or Irish-speaking areas throughout the county. Additionally, the third-busiest airport in Ireland is in Clare with the Shannon Airport, which officially opened in 1945. Shannon was the first airport in Ireland to receive transatlantic flights.
Common Irish Surnames in County Clare:
Brady – can also be spelled Braidy or Bradey, Bryant, Burke, Clancy, Clohessy, Cotter, Cullen, Cusack, DeClare – can also be spelled DeClair, Deegan, Devin, Dillon, Ennis – can also be spelled Enis, Ferguson, Fitzpatrick – can also be spelled FitzPatrick, Gallery, Griffin, Harte – can also be spelled Hart, Henchy, Keane can also be spelled Kean, Kelly –can also be spelled Kelley, Kilroy, Lynch , MacDonnell, MacMahon, MacNamara, MacSweeney, Moloney, Mullens, Murphy, O’Aherne – can also be spelled O’Ahearne, O’Brien – can also be spelled O’Bryan, O’Connell, O’Conor, O’Curry – can also be spelled O’Currey, O’Daly, O’Donnell, O’Flattery, O’Grady, O’Halloran, O’Kearney – can also be spelled O’Kearny, O’Maloney, O’Neill, Phillips – can also be spelled Philips, Reidy – can also be spelled Ready or Reedy, Ryan , Spellman, Sullivan.