Cliffs of moher facts

The cliffs cover 8 kilometres which are roughly 5 miles long. The highest part is recorded at 214 metres which are 702 feet. The Cliffs of Moher were formed during the Upper Carboniferous period around 300 million years ago.

If you need information on the visitor centre and pricing, see our Visitor Centre Page here.

The cliffs are made up of different types of rock. The cliffs and the Burren region are an UNESCO Global Geo Park. The area gets its name from a ruined fort ”Mothar” which was destroyed in the Napoleonic wars period in the 1800s. The word Mothar in old Irish means the ruin of a fort.

The cliffs and visitor centre is Ireland’s second busiest tourist attraction with 1,580,010 people visiting in 2018. There are 110 people directly employed at the cliffs, and there are also 50 tenant companies selling gifts and mechanise.

The visitor centre was opened in 2007, and it cost 31.5 million to complete. Bertie Ahern was Taoiseach in 2007 and he officially opened the centre. The winning architectural design of the centre was won by Reddy O Riordan Staehli Architects, the outstanding curved design of the visitor centre was the winner. The construction work begin in 2005 and the centre was opened in 2007.

There are plans to draw up a 20-year strategy for the Cliffs of Moher with further development of amenities at the centre. The visitor centre collects around 63 tonnes of waste each year, 54% of that is recycled. The food and compostable waste are collected separately.

The visitor centre has also reduced water usage by installing waterless urinals in the men’s toilets and dual flush toilet systems. The centre has maintained to reduce of water usage by 24%.

The cliffs have been affected by erosion over the years, and this has caused some areas to collapse. The full effect of the erosion is evident with the sea stack visible on the ocean, it shows the amount of erosion over the years, truly amazing.

Unesco Geo Park

The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren is an important Geo Park sites. The area was awarded Global Geopark status in 2011, and in 2015 the area became a UNESCO designation. The area is littered with geological features. There is a network overseeing tourism in the region, and conservation plans. Education drives are also at work in the area.

Special Protected Area

The cliffs are a SPA covered by EU and Irish law. The region is an important bird area with Puffins, Razorbill and Fulmar all inhabiting the area. There are 30,000 birds found in the area every year. There is a large colony of the famous Puffin bird in the cliffs area. There are 20 different species of nesting birds in inhibiting the area. The area is an important breeding area for birds.

The Big Screen

The cliffs are world-famous and have been featured in a number of movies. The area was featured in the movie leap year in 2010, a romantic comedy showing the beauty of the cliffs on the big screen.

The movie Into The West featured the cliffs. The 1970’s movie Ryan’s Daughter showed the area in one of the opening scenes. The Princess Bride was released in 1987 showing the cliffs in their full glory. The romantic comedy film Leap Year was filmed on Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands. It showed the cliffs in some scenes.

Most recently the hugely popular movie Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, some scenes were filmed in the area. In the scene when Dumbledore and Harry are in trouble, the plot deepens. The backdrop is the Cliffs of Moher, the two characters fly to this beautiful spot, and they arrive on a rock, this is the scene showing the cliffs as a fanatic backdrop to a great movie storyline. The two characters then enter a cave and Dumbledore states “This place has known magic”

The hilarious series Father Ted features the cliffs in one episode, The Tentacles Of Doom shows the area in this funny father ted episode. U2’s album artwork for the album No Line on the Horizon shows the Atlantic Ocean from the Cliffs.

Weddings at the Cliffs of Moher

The area is often the site of weddings and wedding photographs. Small weddings of 20 people or less are only suitable. No seating is available, but you won’t find a view like that anywhere else. It’s a truly unique place to get married. Happy couples are often seen by tourists visiting the cliffs, it’s the perfect spot for some beautiful photos.

O’Brien’s Tower

Cornelius O Brien built the tower, he was the first person to see the area as a tourist site. The tower dates back to 1835. The view from the tower is super cool. On a very good day, with a clear view, you can see Galway Bay, the Aran Islands, and Maum Turk Mountain in Connemara. The Dingle Peninsula and the Beautiful Basket Islands can be also visible.