Clogherhead is a fishing village north-east of Drogheda, on a high, rocky headland that stands out on this stretch of the east coast between the Mourne Mountains and Howth. The headland is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Special Area of Conservation, protected for its rare coastal heathland, and from the top there are views towards the Cooley and Mourne Mountains to the north and Lambay Island to the south. The Irish name, Ceann Chlochair, simply means rocky headland. Its beach sits south of the headland, while Port Oriel is a working fishing harbour to the north.
The headland is the main reason to come. Some paths cross rough, exposed ground. Check local access, stay on established routes and keep well back from the edge. The route is unsurfaced grass in places and turns boggy after heavy rain, so this is a walking-boots outing, not a flip-flops one. Use the roads and signed paths for the return rather than assuming you can get back along the shore at low tide, and choose a beach or village walk if conditions are poor.
Port Oriel harbour
Port Oriel, built in 1885, is a working fishing harbour and the real heart of the place. This is a working harbour rather than a tarted-up marina, with nets, ice and early-morning landings, so it reads as authentic rather than picturesque. Use public areas, keep off the quays where boats are working and leave room for harbour vehicles, fishing gear and crews. Boat trips and kayaking around the headland, past Redman’s Cave and the statue of Our Lady set into the rocks, are run by local operators, so check what is running before you go.
The village has a few places for coffee, ice cream and fresh fish near the pier and the beach, and the harbour is a pleasant place to finish a walk. Opening times change with the season, so do not count on any one of them.
The beach and watersports
The beach is a stretch of sand backed by protected dunes, and it is sandy and gently sloping. Check Louth County Council’s bathing-water notices before entering the water and follow current signs and lifeguard flags. Keep off fenced dunes, and note that the rocks at the northern end partly submerge at high tide, so stay clear of them when the tide is coming in.
Watersports such as surfing, kayaking and sailing are offered from the beach by local operators and activity centres, and school and group trips use them. Opening hours and availability change with the season, so book ahead in the school holidays and ask the operator about conditions.
Geology, film and lore
The headland is the point where the Iapetus Suture, the seam where two ancient continents collided and closed an ocean hundreds of millions of years ago, reaches Ireland’s east coast. That makes it significant to geologists; for everyone else it explains the dramatic Silurian rock you are standing on.
The harbour’s looks have drawn film crews more than once: Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford filmed The Devil’s Own (1997) at Port Oriel, Cillian Murphy and company shot Perrier’s Bounty (2008) here, and Rock Hudson came for Captain Lightfoot back in 1955. Redman’s Cave takes its name from a Captain Redman, said to have come ashore here for shelter after his ship was wrecked off the coast. An RNLI lifeboat has been stationed in the village for over a century, and the station is named for its boat, the Doris Bleasdale.
Getting there and parking
Clogherhead is about 70 km north of Dublin and a 15-minute drive (12 km) north-east of Drogheda, with Dundalk about 30 minutes to the north. From the M1, follow the coastal roads in to the village. For a visit without a car, check the current bus timetable from Drogheda before you set out, and plan your return.
Use signed parking for the beach or the harbour, and expect it to fill on summer weekends and during local festivals, so arrive early. Discover Ireland has visitor information. Bring a windproof layer whatever the forecast; the headland catches the sea breeze year-round.