After the Great Limerick Run: Ennis and County Clare

The Route: Limerick → Ennis → Limerick Logistics: Irish Rail or Bus Éireann from Limerick Colbert Station, 35–45 minutes each way. Marathon Month: May Duration: Day trip

Limerick Colbert Station ──(35-45 min train/bus)──> Ennis ──(35-45 min train/bus)──> Limerick Colbert Station

Ennis sits close enough to Limerick to work as a day trip on its own, and far enough into County Clare to feel like a genuine change of pace after a city marathon. May in Ennis: the town's narrow medieval lanes are at their quietest before the main tourist season builds through June and July, and the surrounding Clare countryside is at its greenest. Both Irish Rail and Bus Éireann run direct services from Limerick Colbert Station, taking 35 to 45 minutes.

Ennis Old Town

Ennis Friary, a 13th-century Franciscan friary in the town centre, is substantially preserved with notable carved medieval sculpture; entry is modest and the grounds are flat and level throughout, well suited to a gentle walk. The town's narrow medieval street pattern, largely pedestrianised around O'Connell Square, is compact enough to see on foot in an hour or two without significant distance covered.

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher

For runners with a car and more time in the day, Ennis is the practical gateway to the Burren, County Clare's distinctive limestone karst landscape, and the Cliffs of Moher, roughly 45 minutes further west. Both are worth a full day rather than a rushed add-on; a runner without a car should treat Ennis itself as the day's destination rather than attempting the Cliffs on public transport in the same trip.

Getting Back

Irish Rail and Bus Éireann services run from Ennis back to Limerick Colbert Station at regular intervals through the afternoon and evening; check current times at irishrail.ie or buseireann.ie.