Moher Tower, Napoleonic watchtower at Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
Moher Tower is the stone ruin of a Napoleonic-era watchtower standing on Hag's Head, at the southern end of the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Ireland. It is a single, nearly square tower with two rectilinear bartizans protruding from the top of its eastern wall and one from the western wall. It appears to have had a fireplace on at least two floors, and its dry stone roof has mostly caved in.
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.
In summer the tower ruin is occupied by many red-billed choughs and similar birds native to the area. The birds use the ruined walls of this Napoleonic-era watchtower on Hag's Head, and the same structure shelters walkers caught on the southern cliff path by Atlantic storms.
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