Clare Museum

Clare Museum sits in the centre of Ennis, County Clare, housed in the former Sisters of Mercy convent, a nineteenth-century school and chapel complex that was restored and opened to the public as a museum in October 2000. Run as a county institution by the local authority, it charges no admission and offers a compact but substantial account of the county’s past.

Its permanent display, ‘The Riches of Clare’, traces the story of the county across roughly 6,000 years, from the earliest settlers to the present day, using genuine artefacts rather than reproductions. The exhibition is arranged around five themes – earth, power, faith, water and energy – which together cover the county’s geology and farming, its hill forts and tower houses, the influence of Christianity, its relationship with the River Shannon and the Atlantic, and its strong traditions in music and sport.

Many of the objects on show are on loan from the National Museum of Ireland, and the collection spans archaeology, social and religious history, and local heritage. The galleries can be seen comfortably in about an hour, making the museum a good starting point for anyone wanting to understand County Clare before exploring the wider region.