Moher Tower, Napoleonic watchtower at Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
Moher Tower is a ruined stone tower at the southern end of the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Ireland, with two rectilinear bartizans on its eastern wall and one on its western side. The building originally stood two stories tall and sits directly on the cliff edge, fully exposed to the Atlantic on all sides.
The tower was built in 1808 during the Napoleonic Wars to replace an older fortification called Mothar that had stood on the same site. The stone from that earlier structure was taken apart and reused in the new walls.
The name Túr an Mhothair refers to the earlier structure that once stood on the same spot, keeping a trace of the old place name alive in everyday use. Walkers passing by on the cliff path can still see the rough stone walls standing against the open sky, giving a clear sense of how exposed this coastline really is.
The tower is reached by following the southern cliff path from the main visitor area, which sits further north along the coastline. The path is uneven and the location is fully open to Atlantic weather, so sturdy footwear and wind-resistant clothing are a good idea.
Red-billed choughs, a bird species that has become increasingly rare across Ireland, nest inside the cracks and gaps of the ruined walls, mainly during the summer. Few places along the Irish coast offer such a close chance to spot them in their natural nesting environment.
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