ABOUT

OUR STORY

ABOUT

OUR STORY

For 40 years after its chance discovery by British caving students in the early fifties, the cave was popular with visiting potholers who would regularly undertake the arduous crawl to view the Great Stalactite. The cave and the surrounding land was purchased by John and Helen Browne in the 1990’s. 

Over the decades, the Browne family have proceeded with great determination to develop the cave into one of North Clare’s premier attractions and share its wonders with a wider audience.

Doolin Cave (1 of 1) 2
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EXPLORE

Cave development

Due to the delicate nature of the stalactite, every care was taken during the cave development to ensure the minimum amount of environmental disturbance. The tunnels that were dug during the cave excavation were painstakingly done by hand, without the use of explosives. The cave was also enlarged to make it accessible to the public using the slow and laborious ‘plug and feather’ method of tunnelling. After a true labour of love, Doolin Cave opened to visitors in 2006 and a dedicated visitor centre was built for the cave in 2010.

john helen
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john helen

OUR STORY

Browne Family Business

Helen and John Browne are the proud and dedicated caretakers of Doolin Cave. A true family effort, the business is supported by daughters Jennie and Caireann. Jennie looks after the busy operations of Doolin Cave and resident artist Caireann creates the exclusive Doolin Cave Pottery.

Over the decades, the Browne family have proceeded with great determination to develop the cave into one of North Clare’s premier attractions and share its wonders with a wider audience. 

doolin cave pottery

Pottery from glacial cave clay which has been hand dug 120ft deep within the caverns of Doolin Cave.

shop pottery

REVIEWS

  • “Unique Stalactite and Tour; Well Worth It! This was an unexpected highlight of our stay in Doolin. We went to the cave more out of curiosity than anything else but ended up feeling like it was one of the highlights of our stay in County Clare. The introductory panels in the visitor’s center provided us with good background information that set us up well for the tour. Our tour guide was excellent from start to finish”

    eaglelake20 – NewYork

    – June, 2022

  • “Doolin Cave, just another Cave.. No! This Cave is exceptional, It’s the first time I’ve been awe struck and really felt like an explorer. I’ve been down many caves, but this one is the only one that touched my heart and caused me to have great respect for life and our living planet. The separation between the noisy commercial rat race and the serene peaceful heartbeat of the earth is very tangible. It certainly makes me believe in the Creator of Life.. please don’t miss the opportunity, make the opportunity it’s life lasting .”

    John O’ Regan – Google Review

    – June, 2023

  • “Fabulous experience, very interesting and informative tour. The cave is terrific and well maintained. The nature walk is beautiful. The coffee shop serves lovely coffee and scrumptious cakes. All the staff in the complex were very pleasant, helpful and efficient”

    Michael Macken – Google Review

    – May, 2023

  • “A fantastic experience. The tour takes place every hour and is carried out very professionally, personably and with a lot of humor. The descent is quite easy, but you should be prepared for numerous slightly wet and slippery steps. It is also very fresh in the cave. Therefore, dress sufficiently thickly and wear sturdy shoes. But the descent and the tour itself are breathtaking and absolutely worth the effort!”

    Philip A. – Google Review

    – June, 2023

  • “Spectacular! Cian our guide did a SUPER job. This is absolutely SPECTACULAR. I hadn’t read much about the caves so when we turned the corner and saw this amazing view – the stalactite, we were awe struck. Top spot in Clare for sure. Coffee n toastie at the coffee shop was yummy and the young ladies on duty were efficient professional and very friendly GOOD JOB!”

    Rita C – Dublin

    – June, 2023

  • “Wow, what can I say.. I’ll keep it brief. This was an absolute hidden gem in the Burren, and the highlight of our stay! Seeing the stalactite in all its glory was amazing. We believe it’s the largest in Europe, and quite staggering to find it in the tiny village of Doolin. The tour guide (apologies, forgot your name) was very informative and friendly. The tour itself was brilliant, and such a unique experience that we will never forget”

    travel_bunny870

    – September, 2022

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