- Caves8
- Max depth120 m
Why come here
Ireland is not yet a destination for an ordinary cave-diving trip: its caves were explored by cave-diving expeditions and we don't know a provider that takes visitors yet. It does hold some of the best-known sumps of the British Isles: Pollatoomary in Mayo, explored to -120 m in 2025, the submarine Green Holes off the coast at Doolin and the river caves of Marble Arch in Fermanagh, across the border. Do you know a dive centre, guide or club that guides cave dives here? Let us know.
On a rest day
- The Burren: The limestone landscape of Clare, with bare karst plateaus above the caves; part of it is a national park.
- Cliffs of Moher: The cliffs along the Atlantic coast near Doolin, up to ~214 m high.
- Croagh Patrick: The pilgrimage mountain (764 m) near Westport, with views over Clew Bay.
All 8 caves
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coole Cave – Polldeelin (Gort)ℹ Info · explorationPermission neededSidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Green Holes of Doolin (Clare)ℹ Info · explorationNot known yet · Full cave | – | Not known yet | Full cave |
| Marble Arch Caves – Skreen Hill (Fermanagh)ℹ Info · explorationPermission neededSidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Noon's Hole – Arch Cave (Fermanagh)ℹ Info · explorationSidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Poll na gCéim (Burren)⛔ Closed to diversSidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Pollatoomary (Mayo)ℹ Info · explorationPermission neededBackmount · Full cave | 120 m | Backmount | Full cave |
| Shannon Cave (Fermanagh – Cavan)ℹ Info · explorationSidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Shannon Pot (Cavan)ℹ Info · explorationSidemount · Full cave | 15 m | Sidemount | Full cave |
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Map
Where to stay
Find a place near Westport, Doolin, Gort, Blacklion, Enniskillen
Villages that work well as a base for the caves in this region. Find a place for your team:
- WestportBooking.com ↗
- DoolinBooking.com ↗
- GortBooking.com ↗
- BlacklionBooking.com ↗
- EnniskillenBooking.com ↗
The links to Booking.com are affiliate links: if you book through one, DiveTripPlanner earns a small commission. You pay the same.
Practical info: rules, fills and emergency numbers
Emergencies
- 112 or 999; at sea ask for the Coast Guard, after a cave accident the police, who alert the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO). Hyperbaric chamber: University Hospital Galway, only "when staffed"; no chamber is confirmed in Northern Ireland. British diver emergency line (BHA, 24 h): 07831 151 523.
Access and rules
- Access: the Speleological Union of Ireland (caving.ie) advises always asking the landowner for permission and keeps a list of access rules per cave. Only members of the Irish and British caving bodies get into the Marble Arch caves (Fermanagh), after an agreement with the Marble Arch Cave Centre; Poll na gCéim is closed by its landowner.
Water and season
- Flood of July 2025: a landslide in the Cladagh Glen closed the Cascades and the glen walk (still closed in Sep 2026); boulder chokes in Pollnagollum of the Boats and Shannon Cave moved.
Getting around
- Travel: the caves are spread out: Pollatoomary near Westport (Mayo), the Burren and Doolin in Clare, Coole near Gort (Galway) and the caves of Fermanagh and Cavan around Blacklion and Enniskillen, across the border.
Good to know
- No provider: in Ireland and Northern Ireland cave diving is expedition work, mostly by British divers of the Cave Diving Group. We know no dive centre, guide or club that takes visitors into a cave; that is why every cave here is listed as information.
News
No recent news found about the caves in this region.
Searched automatically, last on 5 Nov 2026.
No provider in Ireland yet
The caves here are listed as information only: we don't know a dive centre, guide or club yet that takes visitors, so you can't plan a trip here yet. Do you know one, or are you one? Let us know.