Lahinch
Encyclopedia
Lahinch or Lehinch is a village on Liscannor Bay
, on the northwest coast of County Clare
, in northern Munster
, Ireland
. It lies on the N67
national secondary road
.
The village is a widely known seaside resort and is home to the world famous Lahinch Golf Club
. There is also a 1.6 km (1 mi) sandy beach at Lahinch. Lahinch has long been a popular destination for golfers, but in recent times, has also become a popular resort for surfing.
of Corco Modhruadh which itself is coextensive with the Diocese of Kilfenora.
as Leith Innse, which is a variant of the Irish word for a peninsula leithinis ("half island"), the name describes the village's location between the Inagh river and the sea. The ancient name for Lahinch, Leacht Uí Chonchubhair, which is still commonly used in Irish instead of the shortened official name An Leacht, refers to the memorial cairn (Leacht) marking the burial place of one of the O’Connor chieftains, who were the ruling clan of the district of Corco Modhruadh Iartharach. Nowadays. The town name is mostly spelt "Lahinch", but a selection of road signs in the area use the spelling "Lehinch". Pronunciation of the placename is somewhat between the two spellings.
, a world renowned links golf course, founded in 1892, which has often been described as the "St. Andrew's" of Ireland
. The original links was laid out by Old Tom Morris. Alister MacKenzie
, who co-designed Augusta National Golf Club
, redesigned and extended the links in 1927 for a fee of £2000.
Lahinch Golf Club is home to the South of Ireland Championship, an amateur golf tournament which began in 1895. Notable winners of the "South" include Joe Carr in 1969, Darren Clarke
in 1989, Paul McGinley
in 1991 and Graeme McDowell
in 2000. Ireland's Pádraig Harrington
has finished runner up in the "South" on two occasions.
Of late Lahinch has become renowned as one of the foremost surfing locations in Ireland, as well as other watersports including kitesurfing
and windsurfing
.
However Lahinch has some of the most dangerous currents. Another danger is weever fish which hide in the sand of the beach. In summer when the water is warm, it is quite common to be stung. The surf is good enough to attract thousands of surfers all year round.
Lahinch beach became famous on May 14, 2006, when 44 surfers managed to ride one small wave, a new world record.
who was Bishop of Juneau
from 1951 to 1968. Lahinch is also the birthplace of professional golf
er Paddy Skerritt
.
, which linked Kilrush
, Kilkee
and Miltown Malbay
with Ennis
. The railway station opened on 2 July 1887; the entire line (including Lahinch station) closed on 1 February 1961.
Liscannor Bay
Liscannor Bay is a bay on the west coast of Ireland in County Clare. Hag's Head provides the northern border for the bay and Cream Point is the southern boundary...
, on the northwest coast of County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, in northern Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It lies on the N67
N67 road (Ireland)
The N67 road is a national secondary road in Ireland. It runs from Kilcolgan to Tarbert and passes though Kinvara, Ballyvaughan, Lisdoonvarna, Ennistymon, Lahinch, Miltown Malbay, Quilty, Doonbeg and Kilkee.-See also:*Roads in Ireland*Motorways in Ireland...
national secondary road
National secondary road
A national secondary road is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network, but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national primary roads. National secondary roads are designated with route numbers higher than those...
.
The village is a widely known seaside resort and is home to the world famous Lahinch Golf Club
Lahinch Golf Club
Lahinch Golf Club is a world renowned links golf course in the village of Lahinch on the northwest coast of County Clare, in northern Munster, Ireland. It is situated approximately 20 miles northwest of the town of Ennis....
. There is also a 1.6 km (1 mi) sandy beach at Lahinch. Lahinch has long been a popular destination for golfers, but in recent times, has also become a popular resort for surfing.
History
The village is located in the now obsolete Barony of Corcomroe which is coextensive with the territory of Corco Modhruadh Iartharach which forms the western portion of the túathTuath
Túath is an Old Irish word, often translated as "people" or "nation". It is cognate with the Welsh and Breton tud , and with the Germanic þeudō ....
of Corco Modhruadh which itself is coextensive with the Diocese of Kilfenora.
Name
Lahinch is the anglicised form of Leath Inse and not related to Leacht Uí Chonchubhair. Recorded by the Four MastersAnnals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
as Leith Innse, which is a variant of the Irish word for a peninsula leithinis ("half island"), the name describes the village's location between the Inagh river and the sea. The ancient name for Lahinch, Leacht Uí Chonchubhair, which is still commonly used in Irish instead of the shortened official name An Leacht, refers to the memorial cairn (Leacht) marking the burial place of one of the O’Connor chieftains, who were the ruling clan of the district of Corco Modhruadh Iartharach. Nowadays. The town name is mostly spelt "Lahinch", but a selection of road signs in the area use the spelling "Lehinch". Pronunciation of the placename is somewhat between the two spellings.
Sport
Lahinch is home to Lahinch Golf ClubLahinch Golf Club
Lahinch Golf Club is a world renowned links golf course in the village of Lahinch on the northwest coast of County Clare, in northern Munster, Ireland. It is situated approximately 20 miles northwest of the town of Ennis....
, a world renowned links golf course, founded in 1892, which has often been described as the "St. Andrew's" of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The original links was laid out by Old Tom Morris. Alister MacKenzie
Alister MacKenzie
Dr. Alister MacKenzie was an internationally renowned, British golf course architect whose course designs, on three different continents, are consistently ranked among the finest golf courses in the world...
, who co-designed Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
, redesigned and extended the links in 1927 for a fee of £2000.
Lahinch Golf Club is home to the South of Ireland Championship, an amateur golf tournament which began in 1895. Notable winners of the "South" include Joe Carr in 1969, Darren Clarke
Darren Clarke
Darren Christopher Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the...
in 1989, Paul McGinley
Paul McGinley
Paul McGinley is an Irish golfer who plays on the European Tour. He is most famous for holing the winning putt for the European team in the 2002 Ryder Cup. He currently resides in Sunningdale, England....
in 1991 and Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer.McDowell has won seven events on the European Tour, including the 2010 U.S. Open which was also his first win on the PGA Tour...
in 2000. Ireland's Pádraig Harrington
Padraig Harrington
Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:...
has finished runner up in the "South" on two occasions.
Of late Lahinch has become renowned as one of the foremost surfing locations in Ireland, as well as other watersports including kitesurfing
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
and windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
.
However Lahinch has some of the most dangerous currents. Another danger is weever fish which hide in the sand of the beach. In summer when the water is warm, it is quite common to be stung. The surf is good enough to attract thousands of surfers all year round.
Notable people
Lahinch is the birthplace of Robert Dermot O'FlanaganRobert Dermot O'Flanagan
Robert Dermot O'Flanagan was an Irish-born clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Juneau from 1951 to 1968.-Biography:...
who was Bishop of Juneau
Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Juneau is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the southeastern part of the state of Alaska. It is led by a prelate bishop which serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of the...
from 1951 to 1968. Lahinch is also the birthplace of professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er Paddy Skerritt
Paddy Skerritt
Patrick Joseph Skerritt was an Irish professional golfer.Skerritt born in Lahinch, County Clare. He won many tournaments during his career, most of them in his home country, with his biggest success being the 1970 Alcan International...
.
Transport
Lahinch was formerly served by the narrow gauge West Clare RailwayWest Clare Railway
The West Clare Railway originally operated in County Clare, Ireland between 1887 and 1961, and has partially re-opened. This gauge narrow gauge railway ran from the county town of Ennis, via numerous stopping-points along the West Clare coast to two termini, at Kilrush and Kilkee...
, which linked Kilrush
Kilrush
Kilrush is a coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is located near the mouth of the River Shannon in the south-west of the county. Kilrush is a town of great historical significance, being one of the listed Heritage Towns of Ireland.-History:...
, Kilkee
Kilkee
Kilkee 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...
and Miltown Malbay
Miltown Malbay
Spanish Point Airfield is an privately owned airfield between Milltown Malbay and Spanish Point. The airfield, located on Sandhill Road in the townland Leagard South, was established by three local pilots in 1991, and the original clubhouse was opened by then Irish Minister for Defense Mr...
with Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
. The railway station opened on 2 July 1887; the entire line (including Lahinch station) closed on 1 February 1961.