Not everyone coming to Adare in September 2027 cares about a four-foot putt. Good. There’s plenty more to do.
The Ryder Cup comes to Adare Manor from 13 to 19 September 2027. Golf crowds are changing. More women, couples, families and newcomers are coming to the big events, as much for the trip and the atmosphere as for the sport. Coming along for the week, or travelling with a golf obsessive? This is how to fill your days.
Start with Adare
Thatched cottages, a 13th-century castle, riverside friaries and a village park made for a slow morning. Grab a coffee, walk Main Street and take your time. Our Adare village guide covers where to eat, drink and explore.
Limerick city
Around 25 minutes from Adare. A lively riverside city with more than enough for a day.
- King John’s Castle: 800 years old, on the River Shannon, with views from the battlements.
- The Hunt Museum: art and antiquities in an 18th-century custom house.
- The Milk Market: Limerick’s historic food market. Go on a Saturday morning.
- The pubs: trad music most nights, and a riverside walk to finish.
Bunratty Castle and Folk Park
Under an hour away. A fully restored medieval castle, with a recreated 19th-century village in the grounds. Great with children. Finish next door at Durty Nelly’s, one of Ireland’s best-known pubs.
Foynes: where Irish coffee was born
Around 30 minutes west of Adare. In the 1940s, Foynes was the hub for transatlantic flying boats. It’s also where Irish coffee was invented, to warm up frozen passengers. The Flying Boat and Maritime Museum tells the story. Yes, you can try one.
The Cliffs of Moher and the Burren
A full day out, north into County Clare. The Cliffs of Moher rise more than 200 metres out of the Atlantic, and they live up to the pictures. Pair them with the Burren, a strange limestone landscape unlike anywhere else in Ireland, and a seafood lunch on the coast.
Killarney and Kerry
Around 90 minutes south-west. Killarney National Park has lakes, mountains, waterfalls and Muckross House. Take a jaunting car, or keep going round the Ring of Kerry for some of the best scenery in Europe.
The Wild Atlantic Way
Adare is a short drive from the Wild Atlantic Way, the coastal route that runs the length of Ireland’s west coast. Pick up a section in Clare or Kerry and follow it for an afternoon: cliffs, beaches, fishing villages and some of the most dramatic roadside views in Europe. Stop often. That’s the point.
Dingle
Around two hours 15 minutes from Adare, Dingle is a colourful harbour town with brilliant pubs, great seafood and a famous ice cream shop. Drive the Slea Head loop for sweeping views of the Blasket Islands. It’s a long day, and worth every mile.
With children
- Bunratty Folk Park: castles, cottages and animals to explore.
- King John’s Castle: interactive exhibitions and battlements to climb.
- Curragh Chase Forest Park: woodland trails and space to run around.
- The beaches of Clare and Kerry: bring wellies as well as swimming kit.
Eat and drink your way round
The south-west is serious about food. Oysters and chowder on the Clare coast. Farmhouse cheese at the Milk Market. Brown bread and butter with everything. Save room for a pint of stout in a pub that’s barely changed in a century. It’s a food trip as much as anything.
When it rains
It’s Ireland. It might. Head for King John’s Castle, the Hunt Museum or the Foynes museum. Book a long lunch. Find a pub with a fire and a session. Some of the best afternoons of the week happen indoors.
Slow down
Some of the best days that week will involve doing very little. A walk along the River Maigue. An afternoon in a spa. A pint and a trad session while the golfers do their thing. Ireland is very good at helping you relax.
A week that works
- Monday: settle into Adare. Walk the village, find your pub.
- Tuesday: Limerick city, King John’s Castle and a long lunch.
- Wednesday: the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren.
- Thursday: Foynes in the morning, then an afternoon of doing very little.
- Friday: Bunratty, and Durty Nelly’s for a pint.
- Saturday: Limerick’s Milk Market, then Adare for the atmosphere.
- Sunday: a slow morning and a final night in the pub.
Still want a taste of the golf?
You don’t need to follow every shot to feel the atmosphere. The whole region will be buzzing, with the pubs showing the action and the village full of crowds. You can soak up one of sport’s great occasions without a tee time or an umbrella.
Staying in Adare
The Pop-Up Hotel is bringing a luxury pop-up hotel to Adare in September 2027. Tents, suites and motorhomes, great food and drink, and a team on hand to plan your days out. Golf-mad or not. More soon.
Quick answers
What is there to do near Adare?
Limerick city, Bunratty Castle, the Foynes museum, the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Killarney are all within a day trip.
How far are the Cliffs of Moher from Adare?
Around 90 minutes by car.
Is Adare good for families?
Yes. There’s a village park, a castle, easy walks and family favourites like Bunratty Folk Park close by.
Book your stay in Adare for September 2027.
