*Photograph: Eamon Ward.
REVIEWS on the pilot season of the Burren and Cliffs Explorer must realise that the inclusion of an Ennistymon spur for 2026 is “a no brainer,” one county councillor has stressed while another has said there was a “positive pile-on” for the shuttle service.
Officials with Clare County Council’s tourism directorate are in the process of conducting a review in the free shuttle bus service which ran from the beginning of May to the end of August.
While a review had commenced soon following the end of the peak tourism season, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) in a proposal to the West Clare Municipal District requested the local authority to “conduct a thorough review of the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Explorer service following its instigation in 2025. The review should then guide any amendments for 2026”.
Director of Services for Tourism Development with Clare County Council, Siobhán McNulty confirmed, “A review of the Burren and Cliffs Explorer shuttle is ongoing in collating and validating data gathered during the 2025 pilot. The report will be brought to the Tourism SPC meeting in November which will identify the learnings, effectiveness and potential for service improvements for 2026”.
Speaking at a meeting of the West Clare MD, Cllr Talty commented, “We were all happy to see the trial begin, it was supported and funded by the Cliffs of Moher in partnership with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is an innovative project and it shows the intent to invest in our communities. The feedback has been very positive from towns impacted by it, from accommodation providers and small businesses”.
Areas such as Miltown Malbay and Doolin were “very positive” regarding the Explorer according to Cllr Talty who flagged that such a feeling was “less so” towards the direction of Ballyvaughan. “It is trying to collate as much information as possible in the off-season so we can review what went right and what are the gaps”.
Both Cllr Talty and Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) have previously told The Clare Echo that Ennistymon and Fanore need to be included as stops when the service resumes in 2026. Flagging the matter before the local authority, Cllr Talty stressed, “having no link to Ennistymon is a no brainer, it should include some kind of a spur to Ennistymon and The Falls Hotel in particular”.
Multiple spin-offs have been provided by the hop on hop off shuttle service, Cllr Garrihy maintained. “We were targeting one or two benefits but it is recognised nationally and internationally, it is unusual it got such a positive pile-on”. He added, “once communities woke up to the opportunity of it, you could see the Miltown Malbay Heritage Plan, the start of a heritage trail in Kilfenora, it is like a catalyst,” he stated. Long-term commitments must become evident for the Explorer to thrive, he felt. “When Google invest in an initiative they do it for five years because it takes time, adding benefits would be welcome”.
“It was innovative and new,” remarked Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) of the service. He asked if councillors were able to feed into the ongoing review and recommendations for 2026. The manner in which the review would be completed was queried by Cllr Rita McInerney (FF), “the public and businesses have the best idea of what worked”.
Throughput was received in both directions of the service, Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) noted. “It took the first couple of weeks to get up and running, some people thought it was too good to be true, that was a factor”. The input of elected members could be based on the data from the review if that was provided to councillors, he said.
Responding to elected members, McNulty outlined that they were currently collating the data. “Significant data has been gathered from the numbers, stops and locations. We haven’t gone out but we can go out to elected members and ask for feedback, there is a website address which I can circulate after which can receive feedback, we might formally invite feedback from councillors and you can circulate among communities,” she stated. The Director said they were “open to feedback. This is a pilot for this year and next year, it is a free service and we have to be mindful of the sustainability of that”.
Bus drivers were worth talking to, “they hear a lot”, said Cllr McInerney to which McNulty confirmed they were included “as part of the hard data”. Cllr Killeen said the staff of the Burren Centre should be liaised with as part of the review and McNulty again confirmed they were included.
The service linked Ballyvaughan, Corofin, Carran, Kilfenora, Doolin, Liscannor, and Lahinch with key tourism attractions. It also had stops at Lisdoonvarna and Miltown Malbay, where free parking was available.
