Insider’s guide to Clare: Where to stay, eat and shop during the Irish Open

Our writers have shared their top tips for your golfing visit to Co Clare

Shane Lowry at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, Clare. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The Irish Open takes place this week, running from Thursday to Sunday in Co Clare.

Golfers and fans are travelling to the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, with the hotel’s owner set to be in attendance at the Open too.

With many visitors to the area, it’s a great time to explore further in Co Clare. We’ve pulled together some top tips from ur experts on the places to go and things to do during your visit.

Where to stay 

The hugely popular four-star Armada Hotel in Spanish Point, Co. Clare, soaks up its ocean setting with fine sea views

Plenty of Clare hotels found themselves on our inaugural 100 best places to stay list, compiled by Travel Editor Jillian Bolger and travel writer Thom Breathnach. Here are some of their selections.

Gregans Castle, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare 

Storied and chic. Chilled and cosy. Original and understated. Gregan’s Castle encapsulates the essence of relaxed Irish hospitality.  All country house cool and boho elegance, Simon Haden and Freddie McMurray’s charming creeper-clad 18th-century house offers a sense of fun and wonder through colourful textiles, slouchy sofas, vibrant art, and eclectic treasures all underpinned by a sophisticated Burren-inspired palette.  Managed by the effervescent Éanna Hassett, the welcome is warm and the staff informal and friendly.

We love tumbling into the atmospheric bar for tea and cake after a wild walk or enjoying after-dinner drinks in the comfy lounge overlooking the gardens.  Most of all, though, we love the imaginative seasonal cooking dreamed up by the talented Jonathan Farrell, and starting the day with one of the finest breakfast offerings in Ireland.

• €€€€, gregans.ie 

Armada Hotel, Spanish Point, Co Clare  

It’s the wild Atlantic stay along the Wild Atlantic Way. The hugely popular four-star Armada Hotel in Spanish Point, Co. Clare, soaks up its ocean setting with fine sea-view rooms, one of Ireland’s best vibe hotel restaurants with Aileen’s and a laudable B Corp status that reflects the hotel’s genuine green credentials.  Almost all rooms here offer sea-views as standard while the standout Seascape Suite, which boasts floor-to-ceiling views, a copper bath and thoughtful Irish touches from a bar of Wilde’s chocolate to a copy of Ken O’Sullivan’s Stories from the Deep, may well rank as the most dramatically perched guestrooms in the country.

Since our last visit, recent refurbs and the addition of a new coastal cabin reflect the Armada’s ever vibrant vision too.

• €€€, armadahotel.com 

Dromoland Castle, Newmarket on Fergus, Co Clare 

Dromoland belongs to the exclusive fold of Irish hotel brands where its very name conjures up a sense of peak grandeur. But wind up the lakeside driveway in county Clare’s most exclusive property estate and the wow factor is true to life.  Guests can expect all the trappings from a 16th-century five-star castle; exceedingly maximalist plush surroundings, luxury rooms and suites hidden in the castle’s turrets and dinner (or breakfast) at The Earl of Thomond restaurant which is truly experiential. Service here raises the bar all the more.

• €€€€€, dromoland.ie 

Where to eat 

Chef Robbie McAuley in Co Clare recently opened Homestead Cottage. Picture: Claire Nash

Of course, all that golf-watching is going to build an appetite, so no better men than our reviewers Joe McNamee and Leslie Williams to share some tips on where you should stop for a bite to eat. Here are some picks from our inaugural list of the 100 best places to eat.

Homestead Cottage, Doolin, Co Clare 

Sited in an old-style Irish cottage, including flagstone floors, dresser, and an endearing low-budget makeover, Homestead is a charmingly authentic space.

Overseen by Sophie McCauley, husband Robbie’s superb cooking is technically precise while offering real comfort and joy on the plate. McCauley shears away all but the most essential elements of each dish, With a creative menu built around finely sourced local produce from sea and land, including much grown by himself in their gardens and fruit orchards, purity of flavour and texture are always McCauley’s end goal.

• €€€€, homesteadcottage.com 

Linnane’s Lobster Bar, New Quay, Co Clare 

The interior is summer holiday simplicity but the real pleasures of Conor Graham and Mark Commin’s seafood bar and restaurant are best savoured on a sunny eve when its scenic location on New Quay Pier, Flaggy Shore just around the corner, truly comes into its own.

A deceptively simple menu will satisfy most appetites, from a crowd-pleasing and quite excellent fish and chips to the more upmarket offerings, including fresh local crab, lobster and, of course, Flaggy Shore oysters.

Special nod to local clams harvested by Graham’s uncle Willie, washed down with a fine Reisling.

• €€€, linnanesbar.com 

Where to shop 

Over the summer, readers and colleagues shared their favourite spots for our list of 103 shops to visit in Ireland. Here are a couple of Clare recommendations to swing by.

The Rock Shop, Liscannor, Co. Clare, V95 AH63 

Described by my Echo colleague Mary Corcoran as “a summer essential” for her family when in Clare, The Rock Shop is located along the Wild Atlantic Way and offers crystals, gemstones, fossils, jewellery, pottery, and more.

Grettal’s Petals, Unit 3 Block E, Brú na Sionna, Shannon, Co. Clare, V14 VY05 

A recommendation via Tory Casey, Grettal’s Petals has been creating bouquets and smiles since 2012.