West Cork tourism businesses will be hoping to learn from the experiences of a group in Co Clare who secured an accolade of ‘best place to holiday’ in Ireland.

Tales of ghost ships and a hidden city are among a wealth of folklore explored by a pioneering heritage trail in a spectacular part of Clare which could provide a template for a series of walking routes along the Wild Atlantic Way.

CLARE County Council has confirmed plans to extend the visitor access to the Loop Head Lighthouse until October following a massive response to its recent opening to the public.

THE doors of the Loop Head lighthouse overlooking the Atlantic in west Clare were opened to the public yesterday for the first time — 341 years after the first lighthouse was built.