COUNTY CLARE - THE BURREN


This plateau of North-West Clare is internationally famous because of its beautiful limestone landscapes and the remarkable flora of the region as well as its rich archaeological heritage. The area also hosts 70 wedge-tombs (the most famous of them being Poulnabrone), ring forts, caves (most notable Aillwee Cave) and castles (Leamenagh Castle).

The word `Burren` comes from an Irish word `Boíreann` meaning a rocky place. The Burren covers over 190 square miles and is of extreme importance to geologists, botanists and archaeologists from Ireland and beyond. As the largest karstic limestone area in Western Europe, the Burren is an anomaly in the Irish landscape and continues to fascinate geologists who come to study its limestone patterns, underground rivers and grykes (cracks).

Those interested in the ancient history of Ireland will find a wealth of material in the Burren - megalithic tombs, Celtic crosses, a ruined Cistercian Abbey and more than sixty wedge tombs. Bleak though the place may appear, man has settled here since the stone age. Evidence of his habitations and tombs are all around you; massive dolmens, wedge tombs and stone forts called cahers, (the homesteads of farmers of long ago), survive in various stages of preservation. Churches and castles indicate later periods of settlement.

The Burren is also famous for its plantlife. Limestone-loving plants such as foxgloves and rock roses grow here and rock`s microclimates also nurture plants found in the Artic, Alpine and Mediterranean regions. Botanists have attempted to find out why, but no one has come up with a complete answer. Here too in The Burren, 26 of Ireland`s 33 species of butterfly have been recorded, including its very own, the Burren Green.

Many of the views around The Burren are truly spectacular. You won`t forget Corkscrew Hill and its vista across Galway Bay; or the journey around Black Head or the view from Ballinalacken Hill across to the Aran Islands.

Aillwee Cave

Located in the heart of the Burren In County Clare. Forty minutes from both Galway and Shannon. Perched high on its Burren terraced mountain side with what has to be one of the most spectacular views of Galway Bay. It is a must for all who find themselves in the area. The cave system consists of over half a mile of passages leading into the heart of the mountain. Its features include an underground river and a waterfall as well as some large stalactites and stalagmites. The remains of bears can also be seen inside the caves and allusions have been made to it being the last bear den in Ireland. Roughly 980 feet of cave passage is open to the public, one third of the total length of the cave. The tours end at a point called the Highway and exit the cave via a 820 foot man-made tunnel. The cave is typical of the Clare caves, consisting in the main of stream passage and ending in a sump. The general direction is east–west but turns due south some 2,000 feet into the cave.

The cave is considerably older than most of the Clare caves and originally contained a large stream. The cave is now largely deserted of the stream and is heavily backfilled with glacial infill. The formations visible on the show cave tour are rarely more than 8000 years old but calcite samples in the recesses of the cave have been dated to over 350,000 years old.

Poulnabrone Dolmen

This dramatic site, on the karstic limestone pavement of the Burren, is one of the most famous Irish dolmens. The name Poulnabrone literally means `The hole of the sorrows`. The thin capstone sits on two 6 foot high portal stones to create a chamber in a 30 foot low cairn. The eastern portal stone was replaced in 1985, following a discovery that it was unfortunately cracked; excavations during the repair showed that this site dated back to about 2500 BC.

Uncremated remains were found in the chamber, its portico, and in the grykes (crevices in the limestone floor). In particular, there were the main body bones of one newborn baby, six juveniles, and 16-22 adults. Only one of the adults lived beyond 40 years, and the majority were under 30 when they died. An analysis of all the fragments of disarticulated bones revealed a hard physical life and a coarse diet; it was further proved that the bones were naturally defleshed elsewhere (by exposure or burial) and only then moved within the chamber at Poulnabrone. A number of grave goods were found in the tomb : a polished stone axe, two stone disc beads, a perforated bone pendant, part of a bone pin, two quartz crystals, flint and chert arrowheads and scrapers, and over 60 sherds of coarse pottery. This probably involved a ritual and reveal an exact planning, but the purpose remains unknown. The dolmen is surrounded by a low mound, largely made up of stones, but it seems unlikely ever to have covered the whole monument. It is worth noting that in the same area there are about seventy other tombs, like the one at Gleninsheen.

Corcomroe Abbey

This well-preserved abbey is picturesquely sited among the grey hills of the Burren. It is best known for its lonely situation, lying close to another interesting monastic settlement, a group of three small early Christian Churches which nestle in the pass of Oughtmana and which are dedicated to St. Colman. These early monks sought out isolated areas in which to build their churches, and then set about the task of becoming self sufficient and maintain themselves free from contact with outside society.

The abbey was built to a cross-shaped design with each transept having a chapel, the entrance to one now being unfortunately sealed off for burials, but the magnificent groined entry arches are still visible, which display some fine outer moldings. Many other architectural features and motifs of interest may be seen. The choir is constructed in stonework of a very high quality, with the roof bearing some finely carved rib vaulting in the Romanesque style, while the capitals are decorated with leaves of the lotus plant and other botanical species. Further interesting images are displayed in the transept chapels which include human masks and dragons` heads carved with great ingenuity. In the north wall of the choir there is a tomb-niche holding a recumbent effigy of King Conor na Siudaine Ua Briain one of the very few examples remaining of an Irish Chieftain.

Burren National Park

The Burren National Park is located in the southeastern corner of the Burren and is approximately 1500 hectares in size. The Park land was bought by the Government for nature conservation and public access. It contains examples of all the major habitats within the Burren: Limestone Pavement, Calcareous grassland, Hazel scrub, Ash/hazel woodland, Turloughs, Lakes, Petrifying springs, cliffs and Fen. The highest point in the park is Knockanes (700 feet) which continues as a curving terraced ridge to Mullaghmór to the south. East of this ridge is an area of extensive, low lying limestone pavement containing a number of semi-permanent lakes. West of this ridge the pavement sweeps down to partially drift-covered ground which gradually rises again to reach the foot of a rocky escarpment. To the south of the park the limestone bedrock disappears under a layer of glacial till. This till area is far more intensively managed for pasture and silage.

The Burren Display Center

This co-operative enterprise in the middle of the village of Kilfenora sets out to interpret and explain the unique Burren landscape for visitors. Opened in 1975, the center contains a wealth of descriptive material about various aspects of the Burren, including its geology, flora and fauna. The center offers a short film which presents an overview of the region, and a large three-dimensional replica of the landscape showing the principal features. In addition there is a small shop selling crafts and souvenirs, and next door a tea-room.

Walking Trails
There are seven way-marked walking trails in the Burren National Park; five trails start from Gortlecka Crossroads (Mullaghmore Crossroads) and two trails start from Slieve Carran (Keelhilla Nature Reserve). The walks vary from a short thirty minute loop walk to a three hour walk over limestone mountains. Each of the trails are signposted with color-coded arrows. The trails traverse a limestone landscape which can be uneven and steep in places, so care must be taken. None of these trails are wheelchair accessible.

Mullaghmore Crossroads
The Burren National Park is situated on the south-eastern side of the Burren, in north Co. Clare. To access the park, from Corofin, take the R476 to Kilnaboy. In Kilnaboy take the right turn (L1112) before the ruined church. Approximately 3 miles along this road you will reach a crossroads. There is a lay-by just before this cross roads on the right. Then on foot, turn right, along the `crag road`; Burren National Park lands are on your left. Please park in the lay-by not on the crag road to avoid damage to the vegetation. This is a public road so be careful of traffic.