Ardnacrusha’s story
Ardnacrusha has 1 building on the National Inventory, one of them of national importance
0% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1925Ardnacrusha Power Station
ArdnacrushaCo. Clare
Unemployment stood at 4% of the labour force in 2022. In Co. Clare, this town has 1,229 residents.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: C O'Flanagan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,229
CSO, Census 2022 · Clare County Council
Median age
44
14% are 65+ · Co. Clare 15%
Degree level
44%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
3%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Ardnacrusha a good place to live?
Ardnacrusha’s strongest is health — 37 residents in bad health and 88 with a disability for every 100 its ages predict. It is strong on safety as well — gardaí record 2 violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year, and 3.5 burglaries and acts of criminal damage. Half the homes sold for more than €311,900, a price of 4.7 times what the median household earns. Where it falls short is walkability: on the way to work, 3% walk, cycle or take the bus or train, where the typical Irish town has 23%.
Figures: health and commuting, CSO Census 2022 · crime, CSO recorded crime, 2023 to 2025 · prices, Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025 · incomes, CSO. Irish towns get an overall grade from 2,500 residents, so Ardnacrusha has subject grades only.
This town's house price is the median for its whole Eircode routing key, town and countryside together: fewer than 30 sales in the town itself were recorded on the Property Price Register in 2023 to 2025, so its Cost Grade is less sure. Rents for this town aren't published on their own, so its Cost Grade uses the county's average rent.
What makes Ardnacrusha stand out
The 3 things Ardnacrusha does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
3% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Born outside Ireland
Who lives here
8% were born abroad
The median of Irish towns: 22%
CSO, Census 2022
Unemployment rate, Census 2022
Work
4% unemployment
Of the labour force, Census 2022 (the median of Irish towns: 9%)
55% of residents 15 and over are at work.
How Ardnacrusha grades
Each subject compares Ardnacrusha with Irish towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
Irish towns get an overall grade from 2,500 residents, so Ardnacrusha has subject grades only.
WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesD−Open →Health88 with a disability per 100 predictedA+Open →Safety2 violent crimes per 1,000 residentsAOpen →Hazard riskRadon is barely a concern: almost no homes exceed the reference levelAOpen →Jobs & income4% unemployedB+Open →Cost of livingClose to the middle of the towns comparedBOpen →
SchoolsNot graded in Ireland: schools’ exam results aren’t published school by school (Education Act 1998, s.53)–
How TownRatings grades Irish towns →
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Ardnacrusha Tours and 14 more in and around Ardnacrusha
Castles, abbeys, gardens, museums and days out in and near Ardnacrusha. Best known first.
MuseumMuseumArdnacrusha Toursin town
CathedralSt John's Cathedral4.7 km outside town, to the south
CathedralSaint Mary's Cathedral4 km outside town, to the south
MuseumThe Hunt Museum4.3 km outside town, to the south
CastleFanning's Castle4.1 km outside town, to the southArt galleryArt gallerySeán Keating Galleryin town
CathedralSt John's Cathedral4.7 km outside town, to the southCathedralSaint Mary's Cathedral4 km outside town, to the southMuseumThe Hunt Museum4.3 km outside town, to the southCastleFanning's Castle4.1 km outside town, to the southArt galleryArt gallerySeán Keating Galleryin townPlaces: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (4)
- St John's Cathedral: David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Saint Mary's Cathedral: Sean.magner89, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Hunt Museum: Roland Czaczyk ( FreeBird 19:17, 23 December 2006 (UTC)), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Fanning's Castle: GilPe, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ardnacrusha.
HealthHealth A+
For its ages, fewer people in Ardnacrusha live with a disability than in Co. Clare’s towns or Irish towns: 88 per 100 expected
94% of people in Ardnacrusha rate their own health good or very good. Unpaid carers make up 7.2% of residents, above both Co. Clare’s towns (5.4%) and Irish towns (5.4%). At the census, 0.7% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.
94%good or very good healthA+Health Grade
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health37
Disability88
Co. Clare141
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 94%Fair 5%Bad or very bad 1%
| Census 2022 | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 94% | 87% | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 0.7% | 2.5% | 2% |
| Unpaid carers | 7.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 20% | 23% | 22% |
37
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Clare 141
88
disability per 100 expected · Co. Clare 110
82.5 · 79
life expectancy, women · men, the Mid-West region, 2016
31%
hold a medical card, HSE Midwest
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Natural hazardsHazard risk A
Low radon, steady ground, few homes by big water: Ardnacrusha is light on natural hazards
No part of Ardnacrusha is mapped as high landslide susceptibility. Radon is rarely a worry locally: under 1% of homes are estimated above the reference level. Its homes mostly stand clear of low ground by water.
0%of homes in high-radon areasAHazard risk Grade
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water0%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river0%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 0% | 44% | 0.5% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 73% | 0% |
0.1%
of homes over the radon level
437
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
SafetySafety A
Ardnacrusha records less crime per resident than 91% of Irish towns
The violent crime rate is 2 per 1,000 residents a year. Every kind together came to 19.9 per 1,000 residents a year, below Co. Clare’s towns (45.4) and Irish towns (54.3) alike. Also worth knowing: of the graded crimes in Ardnacrusha, damage to property came up most often (2023–2025).
2violent incidents per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with towns its sizeFewer incidents against residents per 1,000 than 80% of the 156 Irish towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Recorded by type · per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025
Theft7.2
Dangerous acts3.2
Damage2
Road traffic1.9
Assault1.7
Burglary1.4
Drugs0.7
Against justice0.7
Public order0.6
Not in the gradeTheft, public order and offences found by Garda checks (drugs, road traffic, dangerous acts) are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence, burglary and damage.
| Per 1,000 a year | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary & damage | 3.5 | 6.2 | 6.4 |
| All recorded crime | 19.9 | 45.4 | 54.3 |
| Violent crime | 2 | 4.4 | 5.7 |
| Theft | 7.2 | 7.2 | 15.3 |
2
violent incidents per 1,000 a year
3.5
burglary and damage per 1,000 a year
222
incidents a year, Ardnacrusha Garda area
5.4
against residents per 1,000, as graded
CSO recorded crime by Garda station, 2023–2025, shared to towns by where residents live · Census 2022 populations
Work & commuteJobs & income B+
Short commutes are rarer in Ardnacrusha: 14% of trips take under 15 minutes, below Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
At the census, 82% of commuters went by car. Unemployment stood at 4.3%, below Co. Clare’s towns (9.1%) and Irish towns (9.2%) alike. Among people aged 15 to 64, 66% were working at the census.
3%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van82%
Walk2%
Bicycle1%
Bus0%
| Census 2022 | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 14% | 44% | 31% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
| Average trip | 28.8 min | 23.1 min | 27.6 min |
| Median household income | €66,070 | €53,417 | €57,760 |
€66,070
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Clare €54,654
15%
worked mainly from home, 2022
4%
trips of an hour or more
3,361
on the Live Register, County Clare, September 2026
D−
Walkability: behind almost every Irish town
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
Schools
Single-sex secondaries are more common around Ardnacrusha than in Co. Clare’s towns or across Irish towns: 100%
Families in Ardnacrusha have 5 schools within 3 km to choose from: 4 primary schools and 1 secondary school. DEIS, the support scheme, covers 20% of them, below Co. Clare’s towns (33%) and Irish towns (35%) alike. St Munchin's College is the nearest secondary school, 3.1 km away.
5schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil IdeLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 654 | Catholic |
| St Munchin's College BoysLargest post-primary schoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Post-primary · Voluntary secondary | 682 | Catholic |
| Corpus Christi N.S. DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 403 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-sex secondaries | 100% | 13% | 39% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 10% | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −3% | +1% | +4% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 20% | 33% | 35% |
2,332
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−3%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
1.6 km
to the nearest primary school
3.1 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Results by school aren’t published in Ireland, so the cards carry none.
Climate
Ardnacrusha is wetter than 86% of Irish towns: 1,203 mm of rain a year
A January night in Ardnacrusha drops to 2.7°C on average, lower than both Co. Clare’s towns (3.0°C) and Irish towns (2.9°C). December is the wettest month locally, with 136 mm of rain on average. July afternoons in Ardnacrusha average 19.8°C.
19.8°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.1°C
Spring13.6°C
Summer19.3°C
Autumn14.4°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain a year | 1,203 mm | 1,199 mm | 937 mm |
| January low | 2.7°C | 3.0°C | 2.9°C |
| July high | 19.8°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.3°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
19.8°C
July high
2.7°C
January low
1,203 mm
Rain a year
136 mm
Wettest month
18
Air frosts
1,338 hrs
Sunshine
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Outdoors
Woodland runs close to Ardnacrusha: 8.5% of the land within 1 km, more than in Co. Clare’s towns and across Irish towns
Walkers have 0.7 km per km² of paths and tracks, near Co. Clare’s towns (0.7 km per km²) and lower than Irish towns (2.1 km per km²). Within 5 km, nearly a tenth of the land is protected nature, lower than Co. Clare’s towns (9.6%) yet higher than Irish towns (1.8%). 4 waymarked trails and greenways start within 5 km.
0%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Ardnacrusha0.0 ha
Co. Clare1.7 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 0% | 69% | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 8.5% | 3.9% | 2.7% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 8.4% | 9.6% | 1.8% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.7 km per km² | 0.7 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
8 km
Footpaths
8.4%
Protected for nature
8.5%
Woodland
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Weather in Ardnacrusha: 12 degrees and sunny today
The heaviest rain of the week is due on Tuesday, around 5 mm. Judged by the averages, Ardnacrusha sees November days reach 11°C and nights fall to 5°C. Today stays dry, with only a light wind of up to 19 km/h and a low of 5°C.
12°C / 5°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November11°C
December9°C
January9°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 9°C | 3°C | 359 mm |
| Spring | 14°C | 5°C | 239 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 274 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 331 mm |
12°C / 5°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
12 km/h
Wind
94%
Humidity
9 h 22 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Ardnacrusha skews young, with 19% of residents aged 15 to 24, more than in Co. Clare’s towns and across Irish towns
Graduates make up 44% of adults. Children under 15 make up 17%, lower than both Co. Clare’s towns (20%) and Irish towns (20%). 7.9% of residents were born abroad.
44median age
ArdnacrushaCo. ClareIreland
Ages · share of residents
19%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none4%
Lower secondary11%
Leaving Cert33%
Diploma or cert8%
Degree or higher44%
Women and men · all residents
49.9% of Ardnacrusha’s residents are women
613 women and 616 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 17% | 20% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 19% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 15% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 35% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 14% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 4.1% | 9.5% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 11% | 14% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 33% | 40% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 7.9% | 6.8% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 44% | 28% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Clare and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Fianna Fáil holds 14 of Clare County Council’s 28 seats, one of the largest groups on any council
At the general election 64% voted, about level with Co. Clare’s towns (64%) and above Irish towns (59%). Local government for Ardnacrusha is Clare County Council alone; Ireland has a single tier. Clare County Council has no ruling majority: Fianna Fáil hold 14 of its 28 seats, short of the 15 needed.
14/28seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Clare County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil14
Fine Gael9
Independent3
Sinn Féin2
| Turnout | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| General election, November 2024 | 64% | 64% | 59% |
| Local elections, June 2024 | 50% | 50% | 46% |
7
Councillors
14/28
Fianna Fáil seats on Clare County, the largest party
50%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Clare
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Ardnacrusha’s heritage: one building on the national inventory
Ardnacrusha has 8 inventory buildings for every 10,000 residents, lower than both Co. Clare’s towns (25) and Irish towns (48). Homes built before 1919 account for 0.3% of the housing. Surveyors for the national inventory recorded one building in Ardnacrusha, of national importance.
1inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National1
Regional0
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1925
earliest dated inventory building
0%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 8 | 25 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 10 | 11 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 0.3% | 1.8% | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
HousingCost of living B
Ardnacrusha is a town of owners: 98% of households own their home, above Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
1% live in social housing, lower than both Co. Clare’s towns (13%) and Irish towns (13%).
€312Kmedian sale priceBCost of living Grade
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Ardnacrusha€312K
Co. Clare€280K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Ardnacrusha | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 98% | 64% | 61% |
| Households renting privately | 1% | 21% | 22% |
| Households in social housing | 1% | 13% | 13% |
| Median sale price | €312K | €280K | €350K |
98%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
1%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,170
a month on new tenancies, County Clare
5.7
times median household income, County Clare
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area V94, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ardnacrusha
15pages on Ardnacrusha
The big questions
Out and about
Famous people from around Ardnacrusha
One notable person was born in Ardnacrusha; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
S
Stephen FitzgeraldIrish rugby union player · born 1995
K
Kevin DownesIrish hurler · born in Caherdavin · born 1991D
David DempseyIrish hurler · born in Caherdavin · born 1995Photo credits
Maurice Quinlivan: Sinn Féin, CC BY 2.0
Ardnacrusha’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
WestburyBallynantyCorbally and King's IslandFarranshoneCaherdavinLimerick City CentreArdnacrusha
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ardnacrusha | 1,229 | — | — | B | A | A+ |
| Westbury | 3,636 | 3.2 | B− | C− | A | C− |
| Ballynanty Limerick | 3,030 | 4.1 | D− | C | C− | D− |
| Corbally and King's Island Limerick | 14,213 | 4.3 | D− | C | D | D |
| Farranshone Limerick | 7,874 | 5 | B | C | C− | A− |
| Caherdavin Limerick | 7,364 | 5.2 | D | C | C− | C |
| Limerick City Centre Limerick | 3,434 | 5.4 | C− | C | D | B− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Ardnacrusha
Is Ardnacrusha growing?
Ardnacrusha had 1,229 people at the 2022 census, up from 1,222 in 2016: 0.6% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Ardnacrusha a young town or an old one?
The median age in Ardnacrusha is 44, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Ardnacrusha
Urban area in Co. Clare
Ardnacrusha has 1,229 people, in the area of Clare County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 1,229 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Clare
- Council
- Clare County Council
- Local electoral area
- Shannon
- Dáil constituency
- Clare
- Name in Irish
- Ard na Croise
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:16547
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0) · TownRatings grades, run #544 (Irish towns only). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).