At the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, at O’Brien’s tower as you look north east, there is another range of cliffs Aill na Searrach which is known as the cliffs of the foals or the young horses.
Aill na Searrach features in Irish Myths and legends, the story is told that St. Patrick was accosted by druids. St. Patrick defeated them in an argument about Christianity. They hid for hundreds of years in a deep cave and when they re-emerged they discovered that Christianity had flourished in Ireland and they turned themselves into foals. The seven foals, having been in the darkness for years, were immediately spooked by the sunlight and galloped off the cliffs beside Aill na Searrach giving that cliff its name.
In the sea directly opposite the end of Aill na Searrach you may be very lucky and see a massive wave, the Aileen’s wave. World renowned in the surfing fraternity, it can reach a height of 35 feet or 10.6 meters. Some people say that when they see Aileen’s wave break, they can see horses riding through it.
Hear our team member Ciara Carew tell the story in our Visitor Centre.