Kilkee Cill Caoi
—  Town  —
Kilkee Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°40′44″N 9°38′49″W / 52.679°N 9.647°W / 52.679; -9.647Coordinates: 52°40′44″N 9°38′49″W / 52.679°N 9.647°W / 52.679; -9.647
Country	Ireland
Province	Munster
County	County Clare
Elevation	20 m (70 ft)
Population (2006)[1]
• Total	1,325
Irish Grid Reference	Q885601

  Kilkee cliffs

  A view of the bay from Hickie's pub

Kilkee (Irish: Cill Chaoi, meaning "Church of Chaoineadh Ita - lamentation for Ita") is a small coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is located midway between Kilrush and Doonbeg on the N67 road. The town, one of the most famous resorts in Ireland, is particularly popular as a seaside resort with people from Limerick City. It has been a resort since the early 19th century when it was featured on the front page of the Illustrated London News as the premier bathing spot in what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The town retains some of its 19th-century Victorian feel, and also features many modern amenities. The horseshoe bay is protected from the Atlantic Ocean weather by the Duggerna Reef. Kilkee has regularly been awarded the Blue Flag by the European Commission. In 2006, a statue of Richard Harris was unveiled in Kilkee by actor Russell Crowe who spoke very highly of the town saying it had some of the best public walks in the world. Summer holidays in 1950s Kilkee are evocatively described in Homan Potterton's memoir, Rathcormick (2001).

  Sport

Along with bathing on the strand, swimmers can choose from the Pollock Holes, New Found Out and Byrnes Cove. The Pollock Holes, on the west end of town, are three natural rock-enclosed pools, with water that is changed by every tide. The Pollock Holes are hugely popular with visitors to the town. The diving boards at New Found Out allow for dives of up to 13 metres (45 feet) into the open sea. Every year there is a huge entry, sometimes in the hundreds, for the Bay Swim which is a race from the east end of the town to the west end across the bay. The last weekend in June sees an influx of triathletes as Kilkee hosts the Hell of the West Triathlon, the longest running triathlon in the country, this is one of the biggest and toughest triathlons in the Triathlon Ireland schedule with upwards of 600 athletes taking part in a 1500 metre swim, 45 km cycle and finishing with a hard 10 km road race,

Kilkee is also a mecca for divers. Jacques Cousteau declared that it was the best diving spot in Europe. The Kilkee Dive Centre, Kilkee [1] is a fully equipped SCUBA diving centre which caters to both beginners and experts. Divers can go to depths from 10 metres (32 feet) to 45 metres (147 feet). The diverse marine life attracts divers from around the world.

Kilkee is home to an 18-hole golf course. The first and second tees overlook the Atlantic Ocean and the third tee overlooks Chimney Bay.

Kilkee has a strong GAA tradition, where the local team is known as St. Senan's Kilkee (blues and white colour jersey). The club has won many county finals at all levels and has reached two Munster Senior Football Final deciders. The people of the town are proud of their strong history with Gaelic sports, which is an unreplaceable part of local culture.

A version of racquetball (not squash, as is often incorrectly stated) has been played against the high sandstone walls in the West End for generations, and it is possible that the rules were codified in Kilkee before racquetball was standardized anywhere else. The main trophy, the Tivoli cup, was first competed for in Kilkee in the 1930s; racquetball in its current form was not codified internationally until 1950. Interestingly, obstruction in the Kilkee game uses the racquetball term ("hinder") rather than the squash one ("let").

  Kilkee strand

  Festival

In 2007, Kilkee hosted Cois Fharraige. The festival was held over 3 days from September 7 - 9 and consisted of live music and water sport events including a surf competition In Spanish Point. Although Cois Fharraige was a new event it managed to attract some well-known bands such as Republic of Loose, Fun Lovin Criminals, The Blizzards, Ham Sandwich, Ocean Colour Scene and Delorentos.

  Transport

The town was once one of the two termini of the West Clare Railway from Ennis, the other being the neighbouring town of Kilrush (see Irish railway history). The railway closed in 1961. There are regular bus services provided by Bus Éireann which serve Kilrush, Ennis and Limerick.

  Life

The town is undergoing considerable expansion with the development of hotels, estates and other forms of housing. During the peak tourist season the beach or "horse shoe" bay is crowded as the population expands to 25,000 during the summer months. The town's main source of income is the tourist industry, so many recreational places have been established, including restaurants, pubs and cafés.

Kilkee is known for its many walking routes which lead out of the town over the cliffs in both directions.

  See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

  References

  External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kilkee

• Kilkee official website
• Kilkee golf club
• The Marine Hotel
• Oceanlife, Kilkee
• Kilkee Fishing Club with live webcam
• Kilkee Sub Aqua Club

Places in County Clare County town: Ennis Towns Ennis Kilkee Kilrush Shannon Villages Ardnacrusha Aughinish Ballynacally Ballyvaughan Barefield Bodyke Bridgetown Broadford Cahiracon Carrigaholt Clarecastle Clonlara Cloonanaha Connolly Cooraclare Coore Corofin Cratloe Cree Cross Crusheen Doolin Doonaha Doonbeg Ennistymon Fanore Feakle Hurlers Cross Inagh Ivarstown Kilbaha Kildysart Kilfenora Kilkishen Killaloe Killimer Kilmihil Kilnamona Knock Labasheeda Lahinch Liscannor Lisdoonvarna Lisseycasey Meelick Milltown Malbay Mountshannon Mullagh Murroogh Newmarket-on-Fergus O'Brien's Bridge O'Callaghans Mills Parteen Quilty Quin Ruan Scarriff Sixmilebridge Spancill Hill Spanish Point Tuamgraney Tulla Whitegate Townlands Ardsallis Ballaghline Burren Coolmeen Deer Island Drumcliff Inis Cathaig (or Scattery Island) Ogonnelloe Tullig Baronies Bunratty Lower Bunratty Upper Burren Clonderalaw Corcomroe Ibrickan Inchiquin Islands Moyarta Tulla Lower Tulla Upper List of townlands in County Clare Category:Mountains and hills of County Clare Category:Rivers of County Clare Category:Geography of County Clare