Ballyvaughan Pier

Ballyvaughan Pier sits on the western edge of the harbour village of Ballyvaughan in County Clare, on the southern shores of Galway Bay in the north-west corner of the Burren. Reached via the N67 coast road, it remains a small working pier, used by local fishing boats and anglers, and it looks out across the bay towards the rugged Clare coastline.

The village grew up around its harbour in the 19th century, when it served for a time as a fishing port. Villagers had built several earlier piers for herring fishing, and in 1829 the Fishery Board added a new quay designed by the engineer Alexander Nimmo, with a further quay following in 1837. As roads improved and the fishing trade declined, the harbour lost much of its former importance. A new pier and slipway were built in 2006, reopening the area to boating, angling, diving and other activities on the water.

Today the pier is a quiet spot for a stroll and for taking in the sea air and the views over Galway Bay, and it forms one of the discovery points along the Wild Atlantic Way. The surrounding waters are known for their marine life, and the village itself, with its restaurants and cafés, lies just a short distance away.