Day 12 Cycling the 32 counties of Ireland - CLARE
🚴🏾♂️ The Black Paddy Rolls into Clare: Burren, Banners & Big Vibes
What’s the story, Clare?!
It’s your boy Fabu D, aka The Black Paddy, pedaling into the wild west with Guinness Zero in my bottle cage and a playlist full of trad tunes. I’m cycling across Ireland to raise awareness for Jigsaw, the charity helping young people mind their mental health—and Clare? You’ve got cliffs that defy gravity, music that moves souls, and a landscape that looks like it was designed by a wizard.
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🧠 A Word on Jigsaw
Before we dive into the craic, let’s take a moment. Jigsaw is doing powerful work—giving young people across Ireland a safe space to talk, to be heard, and to get the support they need. Mental health isn’t just a buzzword. It’s real, it’s raw, and it affects all of us.
This cycle isn’t just about the scenery—it’s about showing up for those who feel unseen. If you’re struggling, know this: you’re not alone. There’s help, there’s hope, and there’s healing.
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🏞️ First Impressions: Clare’s Wild Swagger
I rolled into Clare with the Atlantic breeze in my face and the Cliffs of Moher towering beside me like nature’s skyscrapers. These cliffs rise over 700 feet and stretch for 14km. I stood there, arms wide, feeling like I was in a music video—minus the wind messing up my hair.
Then I hit the Burren, a surreal limestone landscape that looks like the moon decided to move to Ireland. It’s full of rare flowers, ancient tombs, and vibes so mystical I half expected a druid to pop out and offer me herbal tea.
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😂 Funny Clare Facts (Because You Know I Love the Banter)
Alright, here’s some mad stuff I learned:
- Clare is nicknamed “The Banner County”, possibly because of banners carried by Clare’s Dragoons in the Battle of Ramillies—or maybe because of Daniel O’Connell’s famous election win in 1828.
- The Burren is home to over 90 megalithic tombs. That’s more ancient graves than Instagram influencers in Dublin.
- Clare has three baronies named Bunratty—Upper, Lower, and the castle itself. That’s a lot of Bunratty.
- The town of Lisdoonvarna hosts Europe’s biggest matchmaking festival. I didn’t find love, but I did find a lad who swore he matched his cousin with a woman from Texas.
- Clare’s coastline is part of the Wild Atlantic Way, with over 2,500km of scenic madness. I cycled a stretch and nearly cried from the beauty—and the hills.
- Quin Abbey, built in 1402, sits on the site of a Norman fortress. I walked through it and felt like I was in a medieval TikTok.
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🎶 Trad Music & Céilí Magic
Clare is the heartbeat of Irish traditional music. I stopped in Ennis, where fiddles and flutes flow through the streets like water. I joined a session in a pub and tried to keep up with a bodhrán. I was offbeat, but the locals clapped anyway. Legends.
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🗣️ Chatting with Clare Legends
You know me—I can’t resist a good chat. I met a man named Paddy who swears he once danced with a banshee in Kilfenora. I asked what she looked like. He said, “Like my ex, but with better rhythm.”
I met a woman who runs a pottery studio and makes mugs shaped like dolmens. I bought one. It’s now my official tea vessel.
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🚴🏾♂️ Cycling Through Clare’s Soul
The roads here are rugged, scenic, and full of stories. I passed through Doolin, Lahinch, and Kilrush, where every bend brought a new view and a new reason to smile. Clare’s got layers, and I was loving every one.
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🧘🏾♂️ Mental Health Moments: Clare’s Quiet Power
Clare doesn’t shout—it sings. I sat by the sea, sipping my Guinness Zero, watching the waves crash like they were trying to tell me something. That’s the kind of peace Jigsaw wants every young person to find.
If you’re struggling, know this: you’re not broken. You’re human. And there’s help.
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🛏️ Clare Hospitality: A Random B&B with Banner Warmth
I stayed in a cozy little B&B tucked into the hills. The kind of place where the tea’s strong, the welcome’s stronger, and the host gives you directions with a side of folklore. I asked how to get to the Burren and got a full itinerary, a weather forecast, and a story about their cousin who once met Bono in a chipper.
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💚 Final Thoughts & Shout-Outs
Clare, you’ve been magic. From cliffs to céilís, you’ve given me laughs, lessons, and a deeper appreciation for Ireland’s wild west.
To everyone who waved, cheered, or shouted “Go on ya legend!”—thank you. To the puffin who stared me down near the cliffs—respect. To the county itself—keep singing.
And to Jigsaw, the reason behind every mile: thank you for being the light in someone’s dark. You’re changing lives, one conversation at a time.
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💚 Thanks for coming along on the ride!
If you’d like to support the cause, here’s the link:
👉 https://www.idonate.ie/blackpaddytour
Until next time,
Stay strong, stay smiling, and mind your mental health.
— Fabu D, The Black Paddy
