Editing Liscannor (section)

==Points of interest==
=== Cliffs of Moher ===
[[File:Cliffs_of_Moher_Colour.JPG|Cliffs of Moher|thumb]]
{{Main|Cliffs of Moher}}
The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top visitor attractions, and include a protected colony of cliff-nesting seabirds. The area was designated as a Refuge for Fauna in 1988, and as a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nature-in-all-its-glory-wonder-of-cliffs-of-moher-captured-26741038.html| publisher = Independent News & Media | website = independent.ie | title = Nature in all its glory: wonder of Cliffs of Moher captured | date = 10 June 2011 | access-date = 24 November 2018}}</ref>

=== Kilmacreehy Church and graveyard ===
[[File:Kilmacreehy 023.jpg|Kilmacreehy Church|thumb]]
{{Main|Kilmacrehy}}
''Cill MacCreiche'' (Kilmacreehy Church) is first documented in the 14th century, but some of the church's structures, including its Gothic ornamentation, are later additions.<ref>{{cite report|url = http://www.clarecoco.ie/services/planning/publications/clare-ruined-churches-graveyard-survey-2010-27628.pdf | title = A Church And Graveyard Survey In County Clare | publisher = Clare County Council | website = clarecoco.ie | author = Simon Large | date = 2011 | page = 77−79 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20210601070713/https://www.clarecoco.ie/services/planning/publications/clare-ruined-churches-graveyard-survey-2010-27628.pdf | archivedate = 1 June 2021 }}</ref>

===Liscannor Castle===
Liscannor Castle was an O'Connor stronghold which, like [[Dough Castle]], later passed to the O'Briens. In 1712, the Earl of Thomond let the estate to William Fitzgerald (annual rent £14). Under the Fitzgerald family, the town began to grow in the later 18th century.<ref name="JourneyWest"/>{{rp|68}}

The ruined remains include a six-story tower with a spiral stairway to the east and a lower main building next to it. This latter was described in some detail by [[Thomas Johnson Westropp]] in the late 19th century, who noted that it had five floors.<ref name="JourneyWest"/>{{rp|68–9}}

=== St. Brigid's Well ===
[[File:Entrance_to_St_Brigids_Well.JPG|Entrance to St. Brigids Well|upright|thumb]]
Located at a site of pre-Christian [[Lughnasadh]] celebrations,<ref name="JourneyWest"/>{{rp|74}} ''Dabhach Bhríde'' (or Brigid's Vat) is located near the Cliffs of Moher. Behind the well, on a higher level to which steps lead, is an ancient cemetery. There is a large cross here and a circular path around it, and part of the Rite of the Holy Well is performed in this area known as the ''Ula Uachtarach'' or upper sanctuary.

The well, dedicated to [[Brigid of Kildare]], is in the lower ground, the ''Ula íochtarach'' or lower sanctuary, enclosed in a little house which contains votive offerings left by pilgrims.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://clareherald.com/2017/02/st-brigid-celebrated-at-famous-liscannor-well-10231/ |publisher=[[Clare Herald]] |website=[[ClareHerald.com]] |title=St Brigid celebrated at famous Liscannor well |date=1 February 2017 |access-date=24 November 2018 }}</ref>

The well has been a pilgrimage site since at least the 1830s, when following a personal cure which he attributed to the waters of the well, [[Cornelius O'Brien (County Clare)|Cornelius O'Brien]] had the well house built.<ref name="JourneyWest"/>{{rp|74}} Pilgrims from elsewhere in County Clare and from the Aran Islands came to Liscannor. Pattern Days on which large groups attended included St Brigid's Day (1 February) and [[Garland Sunday]] (late July).<ref name="JourneyWest"/>{{rp|74}}

=== Liscannor Harbour ===
[[File:Harbourmerge.jpg|500px|thumb|Panoramic view of Liscannor Harbour]]
[[File:Liscannor_Harbour.jpg|thumb|Old photo of Liscannor Harbour]]

The harbour was built between 1825 and 1831 for £2,900, of which £2,000 was a government grant.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1901/jul/18/liscannor-harbour-county-clare#S4V0097P0-02014 | website = [[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] | title = Lords Sitting – Petitions – Liscannor Harbour, County Clare – Hl Deb 18 July 1901 Vol 97 CC795 | date = 18 July 1901 | access-date = 24 November 2018 }}</ref>

In modern times, the harbour has a number of fishing vessels moored there as well as smaller boats using it is a launching site for sea fishing/recreational sports. During summer months there is also a ferry service to the base of the Cliffs of Moher as well as to the Aran Islands.

In the past the harbour was a hub for fishing vessels as well as a location to export locally quarried Liscannor Stone and to receive in coal supplies. Some historical documents note that due to the silting of the harbour, ships could only carry approximately 380 tonnes into port.  At low tides ships had to be winched into harbour.  A currach would bring the rope out to the ship. Locally quarried flag was cut and polished beside the harbour and winched onto ships by steam crane. These slabs were transported to several British cities.{{fact|date=August 2023}}

===John P. Holland memorials<span class="anchor" id="John P. Holland Centre"></span>===
The engineer [[John Philip Holland]] (1841–1914), who was born in Liscannor, developed some of the [[Holland Torpedo Boat Company|first submarines]] commissioned by the [[United States Navy|US Navy]], [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese Navy]] and [[Royal Navy]].<ref name="dibHolland">{{cite web|url = https://www.dib.ie/biography/holland-john-philip-a4063 | work = Dictionary of Irish Biography | publisher = Royal Irish Academy | title = Holland, John Philip | first1 = Owen | last1 = McGee | first2 = Aidan | last2 = Breen | date = 2021 | accessdate = 29 August 2023 | doi = 10.3318/dib.004063.v1 }}</ref> Castle Street, on which Holland was born, was renamed 'Holland Street' in his honour.<ref name="Murphy">{{cite book | title = The Most Famous Irish People You've Never Heard Of | first = Colin | last = Murphy | date = 2012 | publisher = O'Brien Press | isbn = 9781847174468 | quote = In 1964, the village of his birth, Liscannor, erected a plaque to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his death. The town also renamed Castle Street, calling it 'Holland Street' in his honour}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title = A History of County Clare | page = 60 | first = Sean | last = Spellissy | date = 2003 | isbn = 9780717134601 | publisher = Gill & Macmillan | quote = John Philip Holland (1841-1914) was born in Castle Street , now Holland Street , Liscannor }}</ref>

There are several memorials to Holland in the area, including one erected on the 50th anniversary of his death in 1964.<ref name="Murphy"/> A further memorial, donated by the Submarine Veterans of the US Navy,<ref name="JourneyWest"/>{{rp|66}} was erected in Liscannor in 1977.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://photos.clarechampion.ie/image?&_bqG=1&_bqH=eJxz80rML3GpcjVwytAtN8mycAyv8IpMLMoIzUu2MjQ3tDI0MABhIOkZ7xLsbJuRn5OTmJeiBubFO_q52JYA2aHBrkHxni62oSCVycF.EQHxqUaekclq8Y7OIbbFqYlFyRkAv3IgcQ--&GI_ID= | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20230829122540/https://photos.clarechampion.ie/image?&_bqG=1&_bqH=eJxz80rML3GpcjVwytAtN8mycAyv8IpMLMoIzUu2MjQ3tDI0MABhIOkZ7xLsbJuRn5OTmJeiBubFO_q52JYA2aHBrkHxni62oSCVycF.EQHxqUaekclq8Y7OIbbFqYlFyRkAv3IgcQ--&GI_ID= |url-status=live | archivedate = 29 August 2023 | work = Clare Champion | title = Holland Plaque Unveiling Liscannor 1977 | date = 10 July 1977 | accessdate = 29 August 2023 }}</ref>

A visitor centre, the John P. Holland Centre, opened in 2016.<ref>{{cite AV media|url = https://www.rte.ie/radio1/seascapes/programmes/2016/0520/789788-seascapes-friday-20-may-2016/ | publisher = RTÉ Radio | website = rte.ie | title = Seascapes Friday 20th May 2016 | date = 20 May 2016 | access-date = 24 November 2018 | time = 26m 50s | quote = a new John P Holland centre has opened in his birthplace of Liscannor in County Clare }}</ref> A statue of Holland, originally on public display on Liscannor's Main Street,<ref>{{cite web|url = https://clarearts.ie/sites/public-art/john-phillip-holland-shane-gilmore/ | website = clarearts.ie | publisher= Clare Public Art | title = John Phillip Holland - Shane Gilmore| accessdate = 29 August 2023 }}</ref> was moved into the centre,<ref name="johnphollandIE">{{cite web|url = https://johnpholland.ie/museum/| website = johnpholland.ie | title = The John P Holland Centre | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200813115912/https://johnpholland.ie/museum/ | archivedate = 13 August 2020 }}</ref> alongside displays about his life and work with submarines.<ref name="johnphollandIE"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnphollandcentre.com/ |title=John P. Holland Centre - Resources and Information |website=johnphollandcentre.com |date= |accessdate=2022-02-27 |archive-date=22 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122151552/http://johnphollandcentre.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>