Aillwee Cave

Aillwee Cave is a show cave set within the Burren, the vast limestone karst plateau of County Clare on Ireland's west coast, roughly 30 kilometres south of Galway. It was discovered entirely by accident in 1940 by local farmer Jacko McGann, who kept the find to himself for decades before passing on the knowledge in the 1970s — his carved initials can still be spotted on the cave walls today. The name Aillwee derives from the Irish for "yellow cliff," a reference to the ochre-tinged limestone formations inside. Guided tours wind through narrow passages past stalactites, an underground waterfall, and a bear pit where the bones of long-extinct brown bears were unearthed. The cave holds a steady temperature of around 10 °C year-round, so a warm layer is advisable regardless of the season.