Cape Clear Hostel

The Old Coast Guard Station, South Harbour, Cape Clear Island, County Cork | Tel: +353-(0)28-41968. Email: sunshine@capeclearhostel.com

Richie and Sinead Fenlon

The ferry trip to Cape from Baltimore, or Schull during the summer, is regarded by many as a mini cruise with a chance of seeing Seals, and sometimes Whales and Dolphins.  An Richie and Sinead, your hosts at the hostel, rarely leave the island during the high season but a trip from Cape to Baltimore during August, was rewarded by the spectacle of six or more Dolphins. The ferry crew always keep a sharp lookout for Whales and Dolphins and will often make a small detour if any are spotted.  

Cape Clear seems to have its own climate and when the weather is not so good on the mainland it is often lovely on Cape.  So if it is raining in Cork city make a dash for the Cape Clear Hostel and you might just find the weather a little better here. Guests are welcome to use the hostel throughout the day and if the weather is not the best then you might relax with a game of Chess or get the heart racing with a game of Table-tennis.

Cape is a truly Irish island and is immersed in the Irish Language and culture; it is the place to come to if you want to learn or practice the language, which is spoken by most of the islanders.  Cape has three pubs and restaurants and many of the old Irish ways are still alive here with regular traditional music sessions at the weekends and sometimes during the week too.  A recent revival of the ‘Wren Boys’ is a magical experience, and the Storytelling Festival, in September each year, is eagerly attended by guests from around the world.  An Richie and Sinead are proud sponsors and supporters of the Storytelling Festival, hosting two of the sessions in the hostel every year.  Come in October and join Chuck Kruger’s Storytelling Workshop where you will learn the ancient art of Storytelling.

The south harbour is a great place for Swimming and the island is also a centre for Water sports including Snorkelling, Kayaking, and Fishing and, if you are into boats, the annual Cape Clear Regatta in August is designed just for you, with hundreds of yachts and other boats of varying shapes and sizes filling the harbours.  Fishing from the pier or rocks, within sight and sound of the hostel, for Mackerel in season and for Pollock anytime, is a great way to spend a few hours. Fishing rods are freely available for guests to use and adults & Children alike are welcome to go fishing with An Richie (free of charge) who is happy to show novice anglers how to fish and how to fillet the fish they catch. A photograph of the young angler with their first fish is a great memento.  Non-fishing guests are regularly treated to a fresh mackerel, in season, caught by the Handsome Host and, if you are lucky and arrive at the right time, you might see the amazing phenomenon of the 'run' of the mackerel, when large parts of the harbour appear to be boiling with feeding fish! This is when sand-eels arrive in the harbour, being frantically chased by shoals of mackerel from below, with flocks of gulls swooping from above and Gannets diving from enormous heights. A sight you will not forget in a hurry!

Cape is rich in archaeology with some amazing stone walls, Ancients Standing Stones, Dun an Oir (The Castle of Gold), the historic Cape Lighthouse and the Napoleonic Signal Tower.  Scheduled tours of the island are available each afternoon during the summer. 

Cape Clear Museum houses interpretative exhibition panels covering island settlement patterns, folk and farm, genealogy, folklore, place names, education, famine, telegraphy, and maritime history. Events of note in the history of the island are also remembered with special anniversary commemorations, exhibitions and lectures. The Museum and Heritage Centre is open daily, June to September and thereafter by arrangement locally with An Richie.

Cape Clear Hostel is based in a building dating from the 17th Century, with major changes and additions during the 20th century.  In the 19th century it was a coast guard station and, later, it became the residence of the Rev Edward Spring while he struggled to establish a congregation on the island.  In 1959 the house became the first bird observatory in Ireland and, since then, Cape has been internationally renowned as a Bird-Watching centre, with rarities being spotted every year.  Sinead is proud to have been the first person to spot a Lesser Grey Shrike, a true rarity, in the hostel gardens.  We were also delighted that three Hoopoes paid the island a visit during 2008.

Take the ferry from the harbour ports of Baltimore or Schull; the trip takes around 45 minutes. Whether you are travelling by air, car or bus please visit the Cape Clear Hostel website to check the ferry schedule.

Once you get to the Island, there is a bus that will meet you on the pier and bring you to the Hostel for €2.00. The bus meets every boat. The bus driver will also do a tour of the Island for €6.00-for more details ask the driver on arrival.

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Water sports, fishing, kayaking, snorkelling, bird watching, whale adn dolphin watching, hill walking, three pubs, traditional Irish music, goat farm, museum, rock pooling, fastnet trips, ecology courses, The Storytelling Festival, Storytelling workshops,craft shop, eating out in a choice of restaurants. During the summer traditional music sessions are usually held at weekends but also, sometimes, during the week.

Cape Clear is a Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) island where you can converse with the islanders in Irish or you can sign up to an Irish language course

Club Cléire

Club Cleire is a social club in the picturesque North Harbour. An Club was founded by the Community Cooperative in the 1970's and since then has been at the centre of the social life of this small Island community. An Club promotes traditional and other forms of music, Irish language, culture and art, and provides facilities to a variety of local groups which promote the common good.

Traditional music sessions take place every weekend in June, July, August and early September, and at various other times throughout the year. Visiting musicians, singers, dancers, poets and storytellers of all kinds are always more than welcome to join in. Many a wonderful night has been passed in Club Cléire when our local musicians have been joined by rock, country & western, blues, jazz musicians, often mad drummers as well as singers in any language from Irish to Swahili. 
 
Cotter's Bar
A little pub overlooking the North Harbour. Outdoor music sometimes during the summer and on Lifeboat day.
 
Ciaran Danny Mike's Pub & Restaurant
An evocative family based pub and restaurant on the road between North and South Harbours.
 
Thai Food Restaurant - based in Cotter's Bar:
Great Thai food prepared by Steve & Mary Wing.   Must be booked in advance.

Sean Rua's Gourmet Restaurant:

Based in the atmospheric An Club building perched right on the edge of North Harbour, Chef James Bell provides fine dining in a wonderful setting. It's all about the food of course and culinary talent is easily recognised.