Overview
The name is a headstone. When the Spanish Armada was scattered by storms in 1588, galleons were driven onto the reefs off this stretch of west Clare coast. Local tradition says the men who drowned washed up here and that survivors who made it ashore were executed, and the townland name, Tuama na Spáinneach (Grave of the Spanish), has carried the memory for centuries. Visit Clare has more about the area’s history.
That dark history sits under an easygoing seaside village near Miltown Malbay. The draw is the sandy beach and the surf, and the village fills out in summer as the holiday homes and B&Bs open. Be clear-eyed about the swell: this is open Atlantic, the water is often big, and it is a place to respect the flags rather than wander in anywhere.
The Armada wrecks
Local records say many of the crew drowned on the reefs near Mutton Island, and that the survivors who reached the shore were rounded up and hanged, on the orders of Boetius Clancy, High Sheriff of Clare, and Sir Turlough O’Brien of Liscannor.
The resort itself grew later. The Morony family, who held the land from the early 1700s, built the Atlantic Hotel and Tepid Baths, promoted around 1810 as a grand hotel for wealthy visitors who came for seaweed baths and steeplechasing. It later did harder duty as an auxiliary workhouse in the Famine and a barracks during the Land War. Patrick Hillery, President of Ireland from 1976 to 1990, was born here.
The beach and the surf
Use the designated beach entrance and follow the signs. Check the current bathing-water information and the council’s water safety advice before you go. Swim only when lifeguards are on duty and between the red and yellow flags. Lifeguard cover is seasonal, so outside patrol periods there is none. Keep clear of the rocks in heavy swell and follow the local rules for dogs, which can change from season to season.
The beach has firm sand and a long open strand, and surf schools have operated here; check who is running lessons this season before you book. At the northern end, the rocky spine of Black Rock holds rock pools good for a rummage, but the rocks are slippery and the swell can be dangerous, so keep well clear in heavy seas.
Clare County Council lists a beach wheelchair service. Check availability and how to arrange it before travelling.
Golf and coastal walking
Spanish Point Golf Club is a nine-hole links running along the shore, founded in 1896. It is a proper wind test, and the par-three sixth in particular takes whatever the Atlantic throws at it. Check visiting arrangements with the club before you turn up.
On foot, the Cleedagh Trail runs along the dune line north of the beach, with sea views and good birdwatching. The dunes are a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area, with work under way to hold the big blowouts and protect nesting little terns, so keep to the marked paths.
Food and music
The hotels in and around the village serve local seafood, and cafés and takeaways along the promenade cover chowder and a fry before or after the beach. Opening times vary through the year, so check ahead outside summer.
For music, the real event is a short drive off in Miltown Malbay: the Willie Clancy Summer School each July, one of the great gatherings of Irish traditional music, when sessions run in pubs around the area well into the night.
Practical information
- Getting there: On the N67/R482 coastal route on the west Clare coast, near Miltown Malbay, within reach of Lahinch, Doonbeg and the Cliffs of Moher.
- Parking: Check on arrival, as the village fills quickly in July and August; arrive early on a fine summer day.
- Safety: The swell can be strong. Swim only when lifeguards are on duty and between the flags, and stay off the rocks in heavy swell.
- Information: Clare County Council publishes the beach listing, and Visit Spanish Point has local visitor information.
If you only have half a day, park before the crowds, walk the strand or take a lesson if one is running, then let the golf links or the Armada history fill the rest.