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If your image of a St Patricks day Parade is tickertape floating down gently and in great volume between the skyscrapers of New York then you might like to try an authentic Irish parade instead.

The St Patricks Day parade in Kilkee is as authentic as it gets.

No green beer, no green rivers, no leaping leprechauns, or polished performers will be making an appearance.

What you will find is a real community celebrating their culture, their surroundings and their everyday life. You will see the schoolchildren celebrating their history, the local Whale and Dolphin group raising awareness of the incredible work they do, local farmers in their tractors, the search and rescue crew, publicans musicians and a floats to represent every aspect of life in this small but vibrant community.

The atmosphere is one of pure joy as the parade makes its way through Kilkee and then on to the neighbouring Town of Kilrush to continue the carnival fun. The Towns are buzzing with activity and of course the parade is just the start as the celebrations continue well into the night.

This year Paddy’s Day fall’s on a Friday, no doubt the shenanigans and malarky will spread across the weekend too!

St Patricks Day Parade Kilkee 17th March. Starting at 12.00 p.m. Don’t miss out on your chance to experience authentic unspoilt Ireland before we get notions and start turning everything green!

Enjoy this video from the Paddy’s Day Parade in 2022.

Dear Children,

You may be wondering what I was doing on Kilkee Beach in November when I should be busy at Santa HQ in Lapland so close to Christmas getting your toys ready with the Elves.

Every Christmas as I swoop around the Globe with my Reindeer, we fly into Kilkee across the bay and I look down and think what a glorious place it would be to stop and have a swim. I always dreamed that one day, when I am not busy delivering Christmas presents, I will pop back and take a dip.

Imagine my surprise when I received a special message from a Television crew explaining that they needed to film a TV advertisement on Kilkee Beach in November where everyone was going to pretend it was Christmas day and run into the sea for a dip!

“ It won’t be the same without you Santa “ They said.

They wanted to show everyone what happens on Christmas day, and understanding that I am always busy at Christmas and never have the time to stop hoped that I might like to join in the fun.

As you can guess November is a very busy time for me and my elves, making sure all the toys are ready, so I decided that I couldn’t possibly go and sadly tore the letter in two and put it in the bin.

A few days later, I noticed some strange things going on in the workshop

The elves whispering in one corner………………

Mrs. Clause was rummaging about in my clothes cupboard…………………..

My reindeer were doing their warm-up exercises………………………

What was going on?

As I walked around the corner, I bumped straight into my smallest elf, who bounced off my Tummy and landed on the floor!

“Tiny Elf what are you rushing around for,” I said

“It’s a secret,” said Tiny Elf, his cheeks glowing pinker than ever

“Tiny Elf, you know we don’t have secrets in Santa’s Grotto, now tell me the truth”

Just then Mrs. Clause came by with a big bag full of a packed lunch and my swimming togs.

“Off you go Santa,” she said, “ the Elves and I have decided you deserve to have one day off, you are going to Kilkee to swim in the sea”

So, thanks to Mrs. Clause and the Elves planning behind my back, I was able to come and join in with the November swim in Kilkee.

What a treat! The sun shone, the waves crashed, and everyone had the best time, and my dreams came true.

Remember Children I will be watching you.

If you want to have your dreams come true, as mine did, make sure you are being very very good.

Best wishes Santa

This is a question I am often asked by bemused Summer Visitors to Kilkee from other parts of Ireland, mainly city dwellers from Dublin and Limerick.

They cannot imagine what it is like to live out west year-round and consequently can miss out on a very different authentic Kilkee by not visiting off-season.

The winter months in Kilkee are certainly different from the buzz of the Summer when the days are long, and the beach is packed.

Although some of the summer attractions close for the winter or reduce their opening hours, Kilkee is a community and life continues. The difference is that in the off-season you can enjoy the very best of Kilkee without the crowds.

The buzz doesn’t go away, it simply changes, there are still lively sessions in the bars, and if the weather holds you can still sit outside and enjoy the cafes, or when the temperature drops, cosy up inside, and you can still dine out around the town. The choice and hours may be reduced, but the atmosphere is relaxed, and the craic is mighty.

The Beach is a definite attraction through the winter, and you don’t have to be one of the dedicated sea swimmers who hop in by the pier every day to enjoy the benefits. (Although the increasing popularity of this supercharged activity would indicate that perhaps you should give it a try.)

Walking across an empty beach the size of Kilkee on an autumn or winter’s day is simply magnificent, you just need to ensure you are dressed in the right clothes and shoes, and I guarantee all the cobwebs and stresses in your mind will be swept away.

Watching the waves and listening to the sounds of a pounding sea in dramatic stormy weather creates an energy that is hard to describe until you give it a try.

There is nowhere like the west for creativity and culture and the art exhibitions, music, sessions, historical talks, films, and craft fares are all there throughout the off-season if you know where to find them.

This week or month in Kilkee on this website, is set up to help our visitors find out what is happening in Kilkee throughout the year and share in the vibrant community who certainly know what to do down here when the crowds disappear!

What’s the story? Che Guevara

Any visitor to Kilkee will eventually notice the presence of a certain very famous revolutionary.

There are images of Che Guevara dotted around the town and most obviously on the white walls on the West end of the beach.

What is the story behind this iconic image, and why Kilkee?

In short Che Guevara was flying back to Havana from Moscow in 1961, when the plane had some mechanical problems and became fogbound at Shannon airport. Looking for somewhere to go while he was waiting, a taxi driver suggested he and his two companions visit Kilkee.

During his visit, a young man, working in the Marine Hotel recognised the very famous revolutionary and captured his image, which has since become so iconic and used worldwide.

If you would like to find out what happened directly from the man who met Che Guevara, his name is Jim Fitzpatrick and this is his story.

The Cliffs of Kilkee are an absolute gem and arguably, although not as high as the world-famous Cliffs of Moher, equally impressive. Best of all they are FREE of charge to enjoy year-round.

There are several different walking routes you can take to enjoy the Kilkee Cliffs, depending on how long you want to spend. Here are four different routes for you to try.

All of the walks will take you to this stunning viewing point, where you can see up and down the coast and across the Shannon estuary to Kerry.

Route 1 – Short Cliff Walk

Time: 30 minutes
Length: 1.8km
Starting at the Diamond Rocks Car Park
Ending at The Diamond Rocks Car Park
Steep incline for the last 200m
Steep cliff edge on one side with an asphalt path all the way.

Route 2  – Long Cliff Walk

Time: 2.30 hours
Length: 11.7km
Starting at the Diamond Rocks Car Park
Ending at The Diamond Rocks Car Park
Steep incline for 200m
Steep cliff edge on one side with an asphalt path followed by walking along a road.
Stunning views up and down the coastline each way.

Route 03 – Short Circular Walk

Time: 50 minutes
Length: 4 km
Starting at the Diamond Rocks Car Park
Ending at The Diamond Rocks Car Park
Slow incline along the Dunlicky road followed by a steep incline of around 100m.
The first half of the walk is along a road followed by a steep cliff edge on one side with an asphalt path.
Stunning views from the top of the cliffs back to Kilkee bay.

Route 4 – Long Circular Walk

Time: 1.30 hours
Length: 7.3 km
Starting at Kilkee Bandstand
Ending at Kilkee Bandstand
Slow incline along the roadside followed by a steep incline of around 100m.
The first half of the walk is along quiet roads followed by a steep cliff edge on one side with an asphalt path.
Stunning views from the top of the cliffs back to Kilkee bay.