Situated in the heart of North Co. Clare, Ireland, Aillwee Burren Experience illustrates the creative growth, innovation and sustainability of a family run business within Ireland’s tourism industry over three generations.
Since opening in 1976, Aillwee has welcomed over 7 million visitors with the help of 3000 colleagues. The mission of Aillwee is to ensure visitors of all ages and abilities from home and overseas enjoy unique underground and overground Burren experiences in an informative, friendly, safe and welcoming environment.
The guided cave tour has been sympathetically developed five times in fifty years and now takes visitors on a forty-five minute, uniquely lit, immersive round trip of 850 meters through Aillwee Mountain with 90 meters of limestone overhead at its deepest point.
Alongside the enjoyable and educational guided tours, the cave has played host to theatrical plays, opera recitals and chamber choirs, ballad singers, traditional music concerts, mountain bike races, endurance race competitors, ghost tours, yoga sessions and even an underground fashion show. Santa and his elves set up their workshop annually in the cave and meet with families of all generations in the run up to Christmas.
As Aillwee Cave became established, it was necessary to provide visitors with ancillary services. In 1979, the award-winning Cave Access Building was designed by Polish Architects Andrezj & Danuta Wejchert. Their remit was to design a building that would blend in with the Burren Karst landscape and house shops, toilets, catering outlets and rest areas.
The building was completed in 1980. It had to be open by St Patrick’s Day of that year. As the deadline loomed against a backdrop nationally of economic recession and upheaval, striking postmen from around the North Clare area were enlisted to help complete the massive stone masonry task. It is lovely when they return to admire their varied yet complementary styles of wall building and pointing.
Another creative innovation on Aillwee Mountain came about in 1985 when The Burren Gold Cheese Making factory and Farmshop were developed on site. For over 40 years cow’s milk from the same dairy herd, grazing just 6km away at Caherconnell, have been used to annually produce 12 tonnes of traditional Farmhouse Cheese, Burren Gold Gouda.
The cheese is crafted between March and October, the months when the cows only graze on grass. This is when they produce milk with the highest fat content, perfect for small batch, traditional farmhouse cheese making. Burren Gold Cheese at Aillwee is a recognised GEOfood – a local food produced entirely within the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. It is a product that highlights the direct connection between geological heritage, biodiversity and culinary traditions.
2008 marked the opening of The Birds of Prey Centre at Aillwee, home to the largest collection of both native and non-native raptor species along Ireland’s west coast. Visitors are encouraged to admire, spend time with Birds of Prey and learn about the Art of Falconry through immersive, interactive flying displays and bespoke one to one hawk walks. Recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010, falconry is honoured for its 4000 – year history as a shared, living tradition that promotes conservation, cultural heritage and connection with nature. The centre’s team of Falconers also involve themselves and contribute to National and International Raptor Conservation projects.
Having endured the Covid Pandemic and after six months of demolition, rebuild, relight and revamp, since Spring 2022 our visitors on site continue to enjoy an exquisitely lit and uniquely immersive Cave Tour, reimagined Birds of Prey Centre, a sustainable, collaborative Burren Gold Cheese Farm to Fork story and a delightful Burren Biodiversity Woodland Walk. This ensures that, as it was in 1976, warm welcome, authentic experience, and unique memory making are at the core of everything we continue to share with our visitors into the future.
When Aillwee Cave first opened to visitors in 1976, Tourism in The Burren and North Clare region was in its infancy. The results of research and analysis behind the development of Aillwee Cave as a day visitor attraction, in the early to mid 70’s, was the realisation by original owners, Roger Johnson and Micheál Mulqueeney, that visitors to the area would be curious to explore, experience and learn about The Burren’s underground environment. Educating both natives and visitors about this unique landscape was the company’s main drive.
Also, the establishment of a sustainable business that would provide a livelihood for the families involved and employment for others living in the area was a huge factor. The directors, their families and the core management team all live in and near The Burren and, in a lot of cases, have grown up alongside the business. Through experience and listening to visitors, who are varied across all ages and nationalities, the management and team know what it means to care for and exceed visitors’ expectations.
The economic impact of Aillwee Burren Experience in The Burren and North Clare
Aillwee Burren Experience, from an economic viewpoint, is one of the larger tourism industry employers in the area. Having decided in the late 1990’s to become an all year-round attraction means that Aillwee has become a viable career choice for its employees, thereby helping families remain in The Burren and contributing to the local community. There are currently 30 full time careers supported by Aillwee on our team.
From March to November each year, this increases to between 45 and 50 team members. In a lot of cases those who join for school holidays and summer seasons tend to return year after year which is positive. 80 staff are employed during Santa’s Workshop which runs over 5 weeks during November and December.
How Aillwee Burren Experience promotes collaborative tourism activity in The Burren and County Clare.
Aillwee Burren Experience has been involved in the growth of the tourism industry in The Burren and County Clare since opening in 1976. Founding directors Micheál Mulqueeney and Roger Johnson were recognised for their positive involvement, input and cooperation when the Clare Tourist Council celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1986. Run by representatives from both Clare County Council and county wide tourism businesses, Aillwee held the chair of The Clare Tourism Forum throughout 2012.
Now Clare Tourism, second generation Managing Director at Aillwee, Nuala Mulqueeney sits on the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum, a strategic, county-wide leadership group established to guide, support, and collaborate on the sustainable development of tourism in County Clare. Aillwee Burren Experience is a long standing member of the Burren Ecotourism Network, The Burren Food Trail and is also a Geosite within the UNESCO Burren and Cliffs of Moher Global Geopark. Sustainable tourism businesses of all sizes working together provide the visitor to The Burren and County Clare a first-class destination experience.
Celebrating 50 Years of Fáilte
Throughout 2026, Aillwee Cave proudly celebrates 50 years of Fáilte. Visitors are invited to join Aillwee Burren Experience in marking this momentous milestone — celebrating half a century of discovery, hospitality, and unforgettable experiences in the heart of the Burren.