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heritage · Thursday 30 July 2026 · Various 
Scariff Harbour Festival - Heritage Walks and Talks
At Scariff Harbour and Town Centre · Scariff, Co. Clare
At Scariff Harbour and Town Centre · Scariff, Co. Clare
The Scariff Harbour Festival runs over the August bank holiday weekend each year, and its heritage strand is one of the quieter pleasures of the four days - a way to get under the skin of East Clare with people who actually know the place. Local historians, a professional genealogist, and experienced walking guides lead a programme that takes in the lakeside town itself, the Sliabh Aughty uplands and the emigrant stories that left Scariff for American cities generations ago. It suits anyone with a curiosity about Irish history, landscape, or their own family roots in Clare.
The historical town walk sets off from the Market Place and covers roughly 3km, following the stories of notable people from Scariff’s past in a town whose name translates from the Irish as “rough crossing place” - a reference to the ford on the river here. On the hill walk, local guide Marie McMahon leads a longer 11km route into the Sliabh Aughty uplands above the town, taking in wide views over Lough Derg, folklore associated with the area, and a visit to a mass rock from penal times when Catholics held outdoor Mass in secret on the hillside.
Genealogist Jane Halloran-Ryan, Chairperson of the Clare Roots Society, gives talks on the emigrant journeys that took families from East Clare townlands to New Haven, Washington DC, Detroit and San Francisco. After each talk, she offers free one-to-one consultations of 20 minutes for anyone with specific family tree queries - these are limited to 12 places across the weekend and registration is required in advance. There are also talks on the ancient Aughty forest and the Tuamgraney native woodland restoration project, and free hourly waterbus tours of the Scariff River and Lough Derg run courtesy of Waterways Ireland throughout the festival.
Scariff sits on the R352, roughly 35km east of Ennis and about 40km from Limerick city via the R463. Bus Eireann serves the town from Ennis and Portumna, though services are limited on bank holiday weekends - check before you travel. Driving is the most reliable option from most parts of Clare or Galway. Parking is available around the town centre and at the harbour, though spaces fill up early on festival days, particularly Saturday and Sunday.
The town makes a good base for a day on Lough Derg, and the harbour itself is worth a walk at any time. There is more to see in Scariff and across Co. Clare.
Heading to Scariff Harbour and Town Centre in Scariff? Clare has plenty more to see. Read the Scariff area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.