Ballyvaughan
| Ballyvaughan Baile Uí Bheacháin
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 Ballyvaughan
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| Coordinates: 53°06′56″N 9°08′58″W / 53.115556°N 9.1494004°WCoordinates: 53°06′56″N 9°08′58″W / 53.115556°N 9.1494004°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Clare |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Urban | 224 |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) |
| • Summer (DST) | IST (WEST) (UTC-1) |
| Irish Grid Reference | M264077 |
| Website | www.ballyvaughanireland.com |
Ballyvaughan or Ballyvaghan[1] (Irish: Baile Uí Bheacháin, meaning "Ó Beachán's townland") is a small harbour village in County Clare, Ireland. It is located on the south shores of Galway Bay, in the northwest corner of The Burren, an area of great rocky expanse, considered by many to be a unique landscape.
Ballyvaughan is a busy village with many pubs, restaurants, shops, B&Bs and other amenities including the new pier and slipway, constructed in 2006, which has opened up the area to boating, fishing, scuba diving and other maritime activities. Ballyvaughan is also home to the Burren College of Art. Ballyvaughan has been tagged Ireland's 'Gold Coast' as a result of the huge boom in property prices in the area. Demand for holiday homes had seen the average house price in the town rise from €45,000 in 1995 to a top of €480,000 in 2005.
Ballyvaughan is the home town of bassist and guitarist Daithí Ó Drónaí and the writer Sarah Poyntz.
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[edit] History
In May 1921, an Irish Republican Army (IRA) unit of approximately 25 men successfully ambushed a party of 10 Royal Marines and their sergeant in the village near the old post office. The IRA unit captured some weapons and withdrew. Privates Chandler and Bolton were mortally wounded and Privates Lavin and Currell wounded.
[edit] Places of interest
- Each year botanists and naturalists roam this karst landscape in search of Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants that grow in profusion over the limestone pavements. The Burren is renowned for its archaeology. Ballyvaughan is in proximity to numerous megalithic tombs such as Poulnabrone dolmen, situated 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of Ballyvaughan, celtic ring forts such as Caherconnell Stone Fort, medieval churches and castles.
- Close to Ballyvaughan is Aillwee Cave, a show cave over 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) long. Other accessible caves for the more serious enthusiasts are Poll na Gollum, Faunarooska, and the Cullaun series.
