'Without the Limerick people, Kilkee would close up': legend of west Clare seaside town

As scores of Limerick people headed to Kilkee to enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend, this reporter travelled west to hear about what they love about the famous seaside town.

Caroline Hudner and her daughter Claudia, from Effin in the south of County Limerick, have enjoyed spending their summer holidays in Kilkee for many years. Caroline said she has been visiting the town since she was small and when her father passed away she began taking her mother to Kilkee until she passed away three years ago. She has also introduced her children to her annual tradition of going to Kilkee for two weeks at the beginning of August.

Claudia lives in Abu Dhabi and was enjoying some relaxation in Kilkee. She remarked: “When I come home, the first thing I want to do is come down to Kilkee and do the cliff walk with my mom.”

The Limerick woman recounted a funny anecdotal story from her childhood which detailed how Caroline ensured that Claudia and her siblings wore swim hats so they could easily be spotted in the water.

Meanwhile, Aoibheann Daly (8) from Fedamore, around 15km outside of Limerick city, said she visits Kilkee every summer and spends her time catching fish, crabs and shrimp.

When asked about what she likes most about the seaside resort, Aoibheann cited the Pollock Holes. “I like that you can just jump in and then you can just get wet.”

Bernie Van Damme from Ennis Road in Limerick city has a big connection to Kilkee as her mother and grandmother were from the town. She said: “I've been coming here since I was younger than six months old and originally travelled down in a basket on the West Clare railway, believe it or not.”

Fun for all: The Murphy and Hogan families from Corbally enjoying their time in Kilkee   | Pictures: Adrian Butler

Bernie visits Kilkee every summer with her husband Thijs Van Damme and said their children have had “magical summers” there.

READ ALSO: A life under the sea: Kilkee's Manuel Di Lucia dives into the past with new memoir

Touching on the problem of there being few sunny days this summer, Bernie commented: “There’s certainly fewer people than there would've been in other years, but now that the weather is good, I'd say the crowds will come and it'll get busier and busier but I think for a lot of people it's weather dependent. A lot of people will come for the day from Limerick if the weather is fine, but they won't bother if it's miserable.”

Caoimhe Treacy from Clareview, close to TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick, was having fun in Kilkee with her sisters Leah and Sophie. Ahead of getting in the water, she remarked: “I feel good, but I'm just scared that it's going to be really cold.”

Liza Blackwell from Cappamore in east Limerick is no stranger to the shores of Kilkee and has been holidaying there for the past 14 years. “We love this spot here down by the Diamond Rocks. It's gorgeous and we love swimming in the Pollock Holes.” More recently, she has enjoyed bringing her son Marcus Keane to the area and Liza said there are lovely walks and cafes in Kilkee.“ He loves coming down here to the sea, building sandcastles and going into the sea, and of course getting ice cream,” she added.

Despite the popularity of the town, Kilkee native and well-known fisherman, lifeguard and diver, Manuel Di Lucia, said it has been quieter this year and that “weather dictates your season.”

He explained: “Without the Limerick people, Kilkee would close up, and that is a fact. If you're looking around here now, I'd say 80 to 90% of the people here are all from Limerick and a lot of them have their own mobile homes and they have their holiday homes, which is a good thing because if the weather changes, they can just drive home.”

Manuel also cited rising costs as being “detrimental” to holiday resorts in the area along with a lack of availability in hotels due to occupancy by Ukrainians.