Ireland Day 14: Doonbeg to Doolin | 33 Miles, 856 Feet Elevation | Hero Status

Riding Stats (Link to Tom’s Strava)

Accommodations (daily mileage, elevation, etc.)

Route Tracker (track our northbound ride on a Google Map)

Our Pub of the Day research started at 12:15pm today because… it was the most gosh awful day of cycling in lashing rain and wind. Rain was stinging our face, wind was so strong it was pushing us over and so many layers of clothing and rain gear on made it a bit strategic to 🚽.

Tom earned hero status today because he found a short cut to Doolin so we rode just 33 miles.

Worst part was all of the beautiful scenery we missed including the Cliffs of Moher, the Lahinch Golf Course and much of the lush County Clare countryside.

We popped out of our tent early hearing rain so we could quickly take it down before it got drenched. With coffee consumed we went all-in with our rain gear and set off.

We were soaked to the bone but still happy to have a slight tail wind when we had to stop at the weekly gathering in the Community Center for a pit stop.

Made it to Doolin 45 minutes before we could check in to our hostel so we checked out McGann’s Pub which happens to be our Pub of the Day!🍺

McGann’s wasn’t always McGann’s. It was originally known as Lafferty’s until brothers Tony and Tommy McGann, who had been living in America, came home on holiday in 1975 and decided to buy the pub.

Supposedly the early days were rough, but things changed when the Lisdoonvarna Folk Festival brought more people to Doolin.

From the 1980s on, traditional music sessions became a regular part of life at McGann’s, helping establish Doolin’s reputation as one of Ireland’s great traditional music destinations.🎻

For their warm welcome when we were cold and dripping wet, for their cold beer and hot food and to celebrate the risk two brothers living in America took after visiting Ireland and returning to put down roots, we raise our glasses to McGann’s Pub.

Also highly recommend Rainbow Hostel, our digs for the night. Carmel, 70 years old (doesn’t look a day over 50) has owned Rainbow Hostel with her husband Mattie for 40 years. Soon they are retiring and their son Brian and family will continue what they started. Mattie is a carpenter and a lot of his retirement gig will be renovating an old family cottage nearby. Take a look at the kitchen in Rainbow. Mattie is quite talented.

Towns we cycled through today included: Milltown Malbay and Lahinch

To view today’s very short video, click on the image below: