The Mighty Cliffs of Moher

Standing on the edge of western Ireland, the Cliffs of Moher rise like giant stone walls out of the Atlantic Ocean. These dramatic cliffs stretch for about five miles along the coast of County Clare. Today, they are one of Ireland’s most famous natural landmarks, attracting visitors from all over the world who come to marvel at their incredible size, rich history, and bustling wildlife.

How the Cliffs Were Formed The story of the Cliffs of Moher began over 300 million years ago during a time called the Carboniferous period. Back then, the area was the mouth of a giant river. This river carried mud, sand, and silt down from the land and dumped it into the ocean. Over millions of years, these layers of sediment piled up and compacted, turning into solid layers of rock called sandstone, siltstone, and shale. Today, if you look closely at the face of the cliffs, you can see these distinct layers stacked on top of each other like a giant deck of cards. Powerful ocean waves continue to crash against the base, a process called erosion, which keeps the cliff faces steep and sharp.