Doonbeg’s story
Doonbeg: 1 building on the National Inventory
2 archaeological sites are on the record here too.
4% of its homes were built before 1919, against 3% in the median of Irish towns.
- 1800Bridge, Doonbeg
DoonbegCo. Clare
A town in Co. Clare, home to 279 people.
2 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Suzanne Mischyshyn · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
279
CSO, Census 2022 · Clare County Council
Median age
41.2
22% are 65+ · Co. Clare 15%
Degree level
24%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
8%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Doonbeg a good place to live?
Home prices sit at a median €287,500, which is 6.5 years of the town’s median household income. On the way to work, 8% walk, cycle or take the bus or train. Homes here sold for a median €206,000 over 2023 to 2025. 22% of residents are 65 or over.
There are no grades for Doonbeg: Irish towns need 1,000 residents for them.
What makes Doonbeg stand out
The 3 things Doonbeg does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
8% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Median sale price
Housing
45% below the median of Irish towns, €372,600
Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
22% are 65 or over
The median of Irish towns: 14%
CSO, Census 2022
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Doonbeg.
Natural hazards
In Doonbeg, 27% of homes stand low beside the Doonbeg Estuary
For a swim, the nearest bathing water is White Strand, Doonbeg, 2.6 km from Doonbeg, rated excellent in 2025. No part of Doonbeg is mapped as high landslide susceptibility. By estimate, fewer than one home in a hundred here has radon above the reference level.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
Low-lying beside water27%
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
Low-lying near a river27%
Low-lying near the coast0%
| Share of homes | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low-lying near a river | 27% | 44% | 0.5% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 73% | 0% |
0%
of homes over the radon level
2.6 km
to White Strand, Doonbeg bathing water (excellent)
212
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Doonbeg has cooler summers than Co. Clare’s towns or Irish towns: July highs of 18.8°C
A year brings 1,227 mm of rain to Doonbeg. Across the year it averages 10.9°C, above Co. Clare’s towns (10.5°C) and Irish towns (10.3°C) alike. Midwinter nights in Doonbeg bottom out at 4.2°C on average.
18.8°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter9.7°C
Spring13.2°C
Summer18.4°C
Autumn14.5°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 18.8°C | 19.7°C | 19.9°C |
| January low | 4.2°C | 3.0°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 10.9°C | 10.5°C | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 1,227 mm | 1,199 mm | 937 mm |
18.8°C
July high
4.2°C
January low
1,227 mm
Rain a year
147 mm
Wettest month
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
For its ages, fewer people in Doonbeg live with a disability than in Co. Clare’s towns or Irish towns: 86 per 100 expected
Unpaid carers make up nearly one in ten residents, above both Co. Clare’s towns (5.4%) and Irish towns (5.4%). Weighed against its ages, bad health in Doonbeg runs at 143 per 100 expected. 2.9% of residents report bad or very bad health.
86%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health143
Disability86
Co. Clare141
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 3%
| Census 2022 | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 9% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| With a disability | 19% | 23% | 22% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.9% | 2.5% | 2% |
| Good or very good health | 86% | 87% | 88% |
143
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Clare 141
86
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
Housing
Few households rent privately in Doonbeg: 19%, fewer than in Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
Owners make up 67% of households. Social housing holds 13% of households, near Co. Clare’s towns (13%) and lower than Irish towns (13%).
€288Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Doonbeg€288K
Co. Clare€280K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €285,000 | 45 |
| Housing | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 67% | 64% | 61% |
| Median sale price | €288K | €280K | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 19% | 21% | 22% |
67%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
19%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,170
a month on new tenancies, County Clare
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Outdoors
More woodland lies at the edge of Doonbeg than Co. Clare’s towns or Irish towns: 8.3% of the land within 1 km
The sea makes up nearly a quarter of the area within 5 km, above Co. Clare’s towns (0%) and Irish towns (0%) alike. Among the protected sites near Doonbeg is Mid-Clare Coast SPA. Walkers have 3 waymarked trails and greenways starting within 5 km.
0%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Doonbeg2.6 ha
Co. Clare1.7 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 0% | 69% | 92% |
| Sea within 5 km | 23% | 0% | 0% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 8.3% | 3.9% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | 0.7 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
2.6 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
6.8%
Protected for nature
8.3%
Woodland
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Doonbeg’s outlook today: sunny, peaking at 11 degrees
Expect a dry, breezy day today, the wind reaching 26 km/h and the temperature dipping to 6°C. Rain peaks later in the week on Tuesday, at about 8 mm for the day. Doonbeg’s averages for November set the scene: the usual high is 12°C, the usual low 6°C.
11°C / 6°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November12°C
December10°C
January10°C
February10°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 10°C | 4°C | 375 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 6°C | 223 mm |
| Summer | 18°C | 12°C | 266 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 9°C | 363 mm |
11°C / 6°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
20 km/h
Wind
93%
Humidity
9 h 21 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
51% of trips to work from Doonbeg take under 15 minutes, more than in Co. Clare’s towns or Irish towns
73% of people aged 15 to 64 were in work at the census. Unemployment stood at 13%, above Co. Clare’s towns (9.1%) and Irish towns (9.2%) alike. The commute to work averages 22.9 min.
8%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van80%
Walk7%
Bicycle1%
| Census 2022 | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trips under 15 minutes | 51% | 44% | 31% |
| Unemployment rate | 13% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 73% | 68% | 68% |
| Median household income | €44,380 | €53,417 | €57,760 |
€44,380
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Clare €54,654
12%
worked mainly from home, 2022
7%
trips of an hour or more
3,361
on the Live Register, County Clare, September 2026
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.
Who lives here
Few people in Doonbeg are 15 to 24: 10%, fewer than in Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
0.4% speak Irish daily outside school, near Co. Clare’s towns (0.6%) and lower than Irish towns (1.1%). The share of residents under 15 is 19%.
41.2median age
DoonbegCo. ClareIreland
Ages · share of residents
22%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none17%
Lower secondary15%
Leaving Cert39%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher24%
Women and men · all residents
50.9% of Doonbeg’s residents are women
142 women and 137 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 19% | 20% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 22% | 25% | 24% |
| 65+ | 22% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 17% | 9.5% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 39% | 40% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5.1% | 6.8% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 24% | 28% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Clare and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Doonbeg turns out to vote: 58% at the last local elections, above Co. Clare’s towns and Irish towns
64% of voters cast a ballot at the general election. No party holds a majority on Clare County Council: Fianna Fáil lead with 14 of 28 seats, short of the 15 needed. Clare County Council runs Doonbeg: Ireland has one tier of local government, with no town council below it.
14/28seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Clare County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil14
Fine Gael9
Independent3
Sinn Féin2
| Turnout | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 58% | 50% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 64% | 64% | 59% |
5
Councillors
14/28
Fianna Fáil seats on Clare County, the largest party
58%
turnout, June 2024
4
TDs elected for Clare
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Inventory buildings in Doonbeg: 36 per 10,000 residents, against 25 in Co. Clare’s towns and 48 in Irish towns
The Sites and Monuments Record lists 2 sites here, lower than both Co. Clare’s towns (10) and Irish towns (11). 3.7% of homes were built before 1919. One building in Doonbeg made the national inventory of architectural heritage, at regional importance.
1inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional1
Among them
- Bridge, Doonbeg 1800
2
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1800
earliest dated inventory building
1
places pictured on the history page
| Heritage | Doonbeg | Co. Clare | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 36 | 25 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 2 | 10 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Carrigafoyle Castle and 11 more within 40 km
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Doonbeg; these are the best known within 40 km.
Castle · Office of Public WorksCarrigafoyle Castle18 km south
Castle · Office of Public WorksListowel Castle32 km south
CastleDoonagore Castle32 km north
CathedralEnnis Cathedral38 km east
AttractionPol an Ionain37 km north
CastleGlin Castle24 km southeastPlaces: 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 (6)
- Carrigafoyle Castle: Arcaist, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Listowel Castle: Larsoner~commonswiki, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Doonagore Castle: Valfex, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ennis Cathedral: Ruhrfisch, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Pol an Ionain: P.hammer, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Glin Castle: Garry Dickinson, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Doonbeg
15pages on Doonbeg
Famous people from around Doonbeg
No notable person born in Doonbeg is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
E
Edwin John ButlerBritish botanist (1874-1943) · born in KilkeeC
Charles FitzgeraldBritish colonial governor (1792-1887) · born in Kilkee
J
Joe JacobIrish politician · born in Kilrush · born 1939M
Mary UptonIrish politician · born in Kilrush · born 1946Photo credits
Sir John Ormsby Vandeleur: William Salter, Public domain · Thomas Cusack: W. L. Bodine & Co. (Chicago, IL), publisher., Public domain
Doonbeg’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
Questions about Doonbeg
Is Doonbeg a young town or an old one?
The median age in Doonbeg is 41.2, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
Has Doonbeg grown?
Doonbeg had 279 people at the 2022 census, up from 270 in 2016: 3.3% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
About Doonbeg
Urban area in Co. Clare
279 people live in Doonbeg, 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
- 279 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Clare
- Council
- Clare County Council
- Local electoral area
- Kilrush
- Dáil constituency
- Clare
- Name in Irish
- An Dún Beag
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:16579
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). 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).