Craggaunowen

Om museet

Craggaunowen is an open-air archaeological museum in the countryside between Ennis and Limerick. Its centrepiece is a tower house built around 1550 by John MacSioda MacNamara, a member of the family that also built nearby Knappogue Castle. The site was developed as a visitor attraction in 1974 by John Hunt, the collector associated with the Hunt Collection, and reconstructions of early Irish life were added around the castle over the years.

The grounds show how people lived from the Bronze Age to the early Christian period. Visitors can see a crannóg, or lake dwelling, a ringfort farmstead with an underground souterrain, a fulacht fia cooking site and a togher, an ancient timber causeway. Costumed craftspeople demonstrate skills such as blacksmithing, weaving and woodworking, and native Irish animals are kept on site.

One of the best-known exhibits is the Brendan Boat, a leather-hulled vessel built in 1976 for the explorer Tim Severin. He sailed it across the Atlantic on a voyage of about 4,500 miles in 1976 and 1977 to test whether the legendary St Brendan could have reached North America in the early Middle Ages. The boat is on permanent display.

Management of the site passed to Clare County Council in 2023 after a period of decline. Investment since then has included upgrades to the castle, a photographic exhibition about the creation of the park, a refreshed Brendan Boat display, the Enchanted Folklore Trail for families and a larger team of costumed craftspeople. Visitor numbers rose by 27 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023.

Højdepunkter

• The Brendan Boat, the leather vessel used for Tim Severin’s Atlantic crossing
• Reconstructed crannóg (lake dwelling) and ringfort farmstead with a souterrain
• Restored castle built around 1550
• Costumed craftspeople demonstrating traditional skills
• Enchanted Folklore Trail with a workbooklet for children

Permanente udstillinger

• Living Past Experience – Reconstructed crannóg, ringfort farmstead, souterrain, fulacht fia and togher show daily life from the Bronze Age onwards, with costumed craftspeople at work.
• The Brendan Boat – The leather-hulled boat in which Tim Severin crossed the Atlantic in 1976 and 1977, shown with audio-visual material and photographs.
• Craggaunowen Castle – A restored 16th-century tower house with a photographic exhibition about the creation and development of the park.

Grundlagt

1974

Ejer

Clare Tourism Development DAC (Clare County Council)

Entrépriser & rabatter

Museet har ikke offentliggjort oplysninger om dette.

Tilgængelighed

• Delvis kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator: ingen oplysninger
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

Much of the park is outdoors on grass and gravel, some paths are uneven, and some reconstructed buildings have steps, narrow entrances or low thresholds. Wheelchair access is possible to the main visitor areas but not to all routes or exhibits. Guide dogs and registered assistance dogs are welcome; other dogs are welcome in the park but not in the castle or the food and drink areas. Visitors with specific needs are advised to contact the site in advance.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
• Interaktive stationer
• Puslerum

The Enchanted Folklore Trail is a woodland quest in which children look for twelve hidden markers and solve clues in a downloadable workbooklet. The park holds family events and craft demonstrations, and a visit suits younger children well.

Transport & parkering

Craggaunowen is about 10 km (6 miles) east of Quin, between Ennis and Limerick, and is signposted. From Ennis take the R469 south towards Quin and follow the signs for Craggaunowen near Kilmurry. From Limerick take the N18 north, leave at Junction 11 (Dromoland/Kilmurry) and follow the R462 towards Kilmurry.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Museumsbutik

On-site café, gift shop and picnic areas. There is no ATM on site.

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Firmaarrangementer

The site offers team-building activities and corporate days out; venue hire enquiries go to the site by email.

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