Liscannor () is a coastal village in County Clare, Ireland. Geography Lying on the west coast of Ireland, on Liscannor Bay, the village is located on the R478 road between Lahinch, to the east, and Doolin, to the north. The Cliffs of Moher are about north west of the village. Between Lahinch and Liscannor lies the small village of Moymore. Liscannor is located in the civil parish of Kilmacrehy. History Liscannor probably takes its name from an old fort that was located here. Lis meaning a "fort" and Cannor a corruption of the name "Connor". The area around Liscannor was part of the Barony of Corcomroe, controlled by the O’Connor family. At least 30 ships of the Spanish Armada, sent to invade England in the summer of 1588, were lost along the coast of Ireland, mainly along the western seaboard. The oar-powered galleass Zuñiga was damaged, and anchored off-shore of Liscannor. The ship came under surveillance by the High Sheriff of Clare and by crown forces, and those Spanish sailors who had come ashore had to withdraw to their ship. One captive was taken and sent for interrogation. The Zuñiga escaped the coast with favorable winds, and later reached Le Havre. The village of Liscannor is of late 18th century origin. According to an 1814 survey there were nearly 200 houses in it at the time, and about ten of them had flag roofs. 40 houses were used by fishermen. Attractions Cliffs of Moher The Cliffs of Moher are one of Ireland's top visitor attractions, and include a protected colony of cliff-nesting seabirds. The area was designated as a Refuge for Fauna in 1988, and as a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive in 1989. Kilmacreehy Church and graveyard Cill MacCreiche (Kilmacreehy Church) is first documented in the 14th century, but some of the current Gothic ornamentation is later. Liscannor Castle This was an O'Connor stronghold, which like Dough Castle later passed to the O'Briens. In 1712, the Earl of Thomond let the estate to William Fitzgerald (annual rent £14). Under the Fitzgerald family, the town began to grow in the later 18th century. The ruined remains include a six-story tower with a spiral stairway to the east and a lower main building next to it. This latter was described in some detail by Thomas Johnson Westropp in the late 19th century, who noted that