The Clock Gate Tower is Youghal's most recognisable landmark: a four-storey Georgian structure straddling the main street, its arched passage still used by traffic as it was in the 18th century. The tower was built in 1777 and has served at various times as a gaol, a toll collection point, and now a heritage centre with costumed guides.
Inside, the narrow staircase winds up through rooms that explain the town's history from its Norman founding to its film-industry cameo in 1954 when John Huston shot Moby Dick here. The guides are engaging and the views from the upper floor over the old town are worth the entrance fee alone.