Bronze Age gold
In 1854, workmen cutting the new Ennis-to-Limerick railway near Mooghaun Lough struck the largest hoard of prehistoric gold ever found in western Europe - torcs, bracelets and collars, most of it scattered or melted down before anyone thought to record it. What survives is in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. What stayed put is the hill-fort on the ridge above the find, and it is the single best reason to pull off the road here.
Mooghaun Hill-Fort dates to around 950 BC and is one of the largest Late Bronze Age forts in Ireland - a set of concentric stone ramparts enclosing what was once a walled settlement and meeting place. A self-guided trail leads up to the ramparts, with panels explaining the site along the way. It is unstaffed, free, and open at any hour. If you have an hour in Newmarket-on-Fergus, spend it walking the walls; nothing in the town centre competes.
The town itself
Newmarket-on-Fergus sits about 13km south-east of Ennis and 8km from Shannon Airport, roughly halfway between the two, 24km short of Limerick. The 2022 census counted 1,887 people. Be honest with yourself about what it is: a working town on a busy road, not a destination in its own right - the things worth seeing all sit just outside it. West of the centre is Lough Gash, a turlough that fills and empties with the water table; when it floods it draws waders and wildfowl, and when it drains it leaves a broad grassy hollow that locals use for walks.
Walking and the Mid Clare Way
The town is one of six trailheads on the Mid Clare Way, a 148km circular route through the county’s inland hills, river valleys and lakeshore. Most walkers take about six days over the full loop, though it breaks neatly into day sections and links to the East Clare Way for anything longer. The waymarking is reliable and the going is generally good, but the upland stretches turn to mud after rain - waterproof boots, and check the forecast before a long day out.
Dromoland Castle
Just south of the town, Dromoland Castle is a neo-Gothic pile on a 450-acre estate, the ancestral seat of the O’Brien family, who trace their line back to the High King Brian Ború. It now runs as a luxury hotel, and its grounds host falconry, archery, horse-riding, stand-up paddleboarding, tennis and an 18-hole championship golf course laid out by Ron Kirby and JB Carr. Worth being clear on one point: this is geared to hotel guests, and the activities are seasonal and booked in advance rather than drop-in. It is a day you arrange, not one you stumble into.
Rathlaheen trout fishing
A short drive from town, Rathlaheen Trout Angling is a 15-acre natural lake stocked each year with up to 3,000 rainbow trout and well regarded among fly-fishers. Fishing is catch-and-release, dawn to dusk, and booking is essential. Four 17-foot rowing boats (maximum four anglers each) and life-jackets are provided, and a gillie can be arranged on request for beginners or anyone wanting a guided session. There is free parking beside the jetty.
Getting there and practical
The town sits just off the M18, which bypasses it and puts Shannon Airport and the motorway network within minutes. The nearest railway station is Sixmilebridge, about 5km north. Mooghaun is free and always open; Dromoland’s activities and the Rathlaheen fishing both need advance booking and run to seasonal schedules. There is free on-street parking through the centre, and a lay-by near the Mooghaun trailhead for anyone coming off the M18.
Nearby
- Bunratty - a restored 15th-century castle and folk park a short drive north, with guided tours and traditional craft demonstrations.
- Clare Abbey - a well-preserved medieval abbey a few kilometres west, reached on a quiet countryside walk.
- Scattery Island - reached by boat from Kilrush, with early Christian ruins, a round tower and long views over the Shannon Estuary.
If you are visiting in winter, check the forecast before heading to Lough Gash - the paths around it turn boggy when the turlough is up. For summer, book a Rathlaheen slot at least a week ahead.