Holy Island Boat Trips
About
The half-day trip from Killaloe that people remember. Inis Cealtra, Holy Island, lies off Mountshannon, about 23km north of Killaloe by road on the Clare shore. Gerard Madden, a local historian and author, runs boat trips and guided tours from Mountshannon Pier. His site describes the island's round tower, the ruins of six churches, a holy well, a graveyard with slabs from the eighth century and the bargaining stones, and ties it straight back to Killaloe: Brian Boru's brother Marcán was abbot here in the tenth century and Brian is said to have built one of the churches. The Vikings burned the monastery in 836 and again in 922, and pilgrims kept coming until the pilgrimage was brought to an end in 1846. Tours run daily, weather permitting, from April to the end of September, and his site says no pre-booking is needed. Clare's new Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience in the Old Rectory at Mountshannon was showing closed for the season in October 2026, with reopening announced for 2027.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Round tower, six church ruins and a holy well
- ✓Brian Boru's brother Marcán was abbot here
- ✓Guided by a local historian
- ✓No pre-booking needed in season
Tips
- →Sailings are weather dependent; ring ahead on a windy day.
- →The season on the operator's site is April to the end of September.
- →Mountshannon is about 23km and half an hour's drive north of Killaloe on the R463.
- →The Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience in Mountshannon was closed for the 2026 season when checked in October; it plans to reopen in 2027.
