There are a number of buildings and features worth visiting

The Mercy Nuns from Galway opened a convent in 1858, and they ran an industrial school, an orphanage and later an old folks home. A second orphanage opened four years earlier in 1854 was run by Rev. Alexandra Dallas, and was housed in Glenowen House, originally built by John D'Arcy in 1832 and rebuilt as the Abbeyglen Castle Hotel. Rev. Dallas was among a number of protestant missionaries who came to Connemara during and after the famine opening up soup-kitchens and orphanages.Work commenced on Clifden quay in 1822 and completed in 1831.

There are a number of buildings and features worth visiting. The town is dominated by two fine 19th century churches. St Joseph's RC Church was built in 1879 with emigrant's money flowing into the region in post famine times. The woodland opposite hides the now disused graveyard and original church, built in 1824. Christ Church, (Church of Ireland) was built in 1853 on a small drumlin and commands a wonderful view of the town. An early 19th century cross-inscribed slab just opposite the entrance probably relates to the earlier church built in 1810. Hyacinth D'Arcy, son of John D'Arcy, was the first minister here. The first school in Clifden, built in 1824 and closed in 1956, is now a private residence on Church Hill.John D'Arcy received a government grant for relief work to build the quay following the famine of 1822. It was designed by the famous engineer, Alexander Nimmo.

The Galway-to-Clifden railway was also built as relief work. The route way was through the central plain of Connemara, with stations at Moycullen, Oughterard, Maam Cross, Recess and Ballinahinch. Opened in 1895, it was never profitable and closed in 1935, but it succeeded in opening up Connemara to the outside world and gave Clifden an economic lift, as the sea fisheries developed. The ruined station house still survives, adjacent to the famous Connemara Woollen Mills, run by the Millar family. Overlooking the town to the west is a monument to the memory of John D'Arcy, recently completed by our local historical society.The town is entered from the south over two fine bridges, between which is a magnificent waterfall and narrow gorge running to the sea.

The larger three-eye bridge leading to Dooneen and the bogs beyond was built in 1819. This bridge was name famous by John Ford in his classic film 'The Quiet Man'.The ruined complex beside the second bridge is the remains of a hydroelectric station, which provided Clifden with electricity in the 1930s and 1940s, years before other towns. On the hillside south of the waterfall, Daniel O'Connell held one of his famous monster meetings in 1843 as part of his campaign to repeal the Act of Union. Dominating the southern end of the town are the stark remains of Clifden Gaol, built in 1830 and closed at the foundation of the state.