The Great Stalactite Cave at "Doolin Cave"

The Great Stalactite was discovered in 1952, in a cave system known as Pol-AN-IONAIN.

The stalactite was found in a 40m long chamber, one of the largest chambers in County Clare. Measuring 7.3 metres (23 feet) in length, it is recognised as being the longest stalactite in the Northern hemisphere.

 

Tours of the cave are available at the DoOlin Cave visitors centre and take approximately one hour. There are tours every day most of the year from 10:00am - 5:00pm. See www.doolincave.ie

 

The Great Stalactite

Cascade in the Doolin Cave System

 

The Green Holes of Doolin

The Green Holes of Doolin which lie north of Doolin Harbor is a complex network of submerged passages. There are four separate cave systems.The Reef Caves, The Hell Complex, Urchin Cave and Mermaids Hole.

Mermaids hole was originally extensively explored by cave divers Brian Judd and Martin Farr and is Ireland's longest underwater sea cave. In 1990 the legendary welsh cave diver Martin Farr managed to penetrate Mermaids Hole a distance on 900m from the entrance which lies 18 meters underwater North East of Doolin Harbor.A year later Brian Judd pushed it another 35 meters. It was not until 2008 that Polish Born cave diver Artur Conrad pushed Mermaids Hole to 1025 meters. Further details on the Green Holes at Doolin can be found at
British Marine Life Study and The NPC journal.

 

The Doolin Cave System

Doolin Cave system has an esitmated total lenght of over 10,000 metres

The cave system has three entrances, Fishermanss Pot, Aran View Swallet and St Catherines One. The through trip from St Catherines One to the Fisherstreet Pot is one of the most popular caving trips in County Clare. The Allie river sinks into the Doolin cave system just below Roadford bridge, and only in wet weather does it get to flow directly to the sea beyond Fisherstreet Pot.