|
Burren And Cliffs Of Moher Geopark
The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark (formally The Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark) is an internationally designated area of geological interest in The Burren region of County Clare, Ireland. It is the third Geopark to be designated in Ireland, and is recognised at both European and global levels. History The geopark began as a mid-2000s project of Clare County Council and the local community, the "Environmental Protection of the Burren through Visitor Management Initiative", which was funded and supported by the council, Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Burrenbeo Trust. The initiative evolved into BurrenConnect in 2006, with a dedicated project manager. The geopark was formally established in 2011, under the management of the County Council, with special support and some funding from the Geological Survey of Ireland and Failte Ireland. It was launched on 3 March 2011 by Councillor Christy Curtin, then ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms when these minerals precipitate out of water containing dissolved calcium. This can take place through both biological and nonbiological processes, though biological processes, such as the accumulation of corals and shells in the sea, have likely been more important for the last 540 million years. Limestone often contains fossils which provide scientists with information on ancient environments and on the evolution of life. About 20% to 25% of sedimentary rock is carbonate rock, and most of this is limestone. The remaining carbonate rock is mostly dolomite, a closely related rock, which contains a high percentage of the mineral dolomite, . ''Magnesian limestone'' is an obsolete and poorly-defined term used variously for dolomite, for limes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lahinch
Lahinch or Lehinch ( ''or'' ) is a small town on Liscannor Bay, on the northwest coast of County Clare, Ireland. It lies on the N67 national secondary road, between Milltown Malbay and Ennistymon, roughly by road southwest of Galway and northwest of Limerick. The town is a seaside resort and is home to the Lahinch Golf Club. It has become a popular surfing location. Etymology Lahinch is the anglicised form of Leath Inse, meaning half island or peninsula. This is not related to ''Leacht Uà Chonchubhair'', which means "O'Connor's Grave", referring to the memorial cairn ( Leacht) marking the burial place of one of the O’Connor chieftains, who were the ruling clan of the district of Corco Modhruadh Iartharach. The town was recorded by the Annals of the Four Masters as ''Leith Innse'', which is a variant of the Irish word for a peninsula ''leithinis'' ("half island"), which describes the village's location between the Inagh River and the sea. The town today is mostly spelled ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doolin
Doolin () is a coastal village in County Clare, Ireland, on the Atlantic coast. It is southwest of the spa town of Lisdoonvarna and 4 miles from the Cliffs of Moher. It is a noted centre of traditional Irish music, which is played nightly in its pubs, making it a popular tourist destination. There are numerous nearby archaeological sites, many dating to the Iron Age and earlier. Doonagore Castle and Ballinalacken Castle are also in the area. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht (an Irish-speaking community) prior to the 1950s, and maintains a connection with Irish-speaking areas - including via its maritime connection with the Aran Islands. Amenities and tourism Layout The village of Doolin does not have a defined centre, comprising a number of "scattered" sections: * "The Harbour" is the departing point for boat trips to the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of Moher. There is also a campsite nearby * "Fisher Street" has O'Connor's Pub and severa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kilfenora
Kilfenora ( ga, Cill Fhionnúrach , meaning 'Church of the Fertile Hillside' or 'Church of the White Brow') is a village and a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland. It is situated south of the karst limestone region known as the Burren. Since medieval times when it was the episcopal see of the Bishop of Kilfenora, it has been known as the "City of the Crosses" for its seven (now five) high crosses. The village had around 220 inhabitants in 2011. Much of the TV show ''Father Ted'' (1995–98) was filmed there. Name ''Cill Fhionnúrach'' is generally translated as "Church of the Fertile Hillside", "Church of the White Brow" or "Church of the White Meadow". The village and diocese of Kilfenora have also been referred to as Fenebore, Kilfenoragh, Finneborensis or Collumabrach. Village According to the Census of 2011, 463 people lived in the Kilfenora area, up from 409 in 2006. However, most of them do not live inside the village. In 2011, there were just 220 inhabitants in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ballyvaughan
Ballyvaughan or Ballyvaghan () is a small harbour village in County Clare, Ireland. It is located on the N67 road on the south shores of Galway Bay, in the northwest corner of The Burren. This position on the coast road and the close proximity to many of the area's sights has turned the village into a local center of tourism activity. At the time of the 2011 Census Ballyvaughan had a population of 258. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht, an Irish-speaking community, until 1956. History The site was originally occupied by Ballyvaughan Castle, which stood right at the edge of the harbour. It was owned and occupied by the O'Loghlen family, except for a period in the 16th century when the O'Brians held it. In 1540, a stolen cow was found at the castle, and heavy fines were levied on the O'Loghlens—loss of cattle, goats, sheep and the town of Ballyvaughan. In 1569 the castle was attacked by Sir Henry Sidney, but the O'Loghlens held on to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lisdoonvarna
Lisdoonvarna () is a spa town in County Clare in Ireland. The town is famous for its music and festivals. Although the music festival was discontinued in the 1980s, Lisdoonvarna still hosts its annual matchmaking festival each September. The population was 829 at the 2016 Census. Geography Lisdoonvarna is located in the area of County Clare known as the Burren, on the N67 road (Ireland), N67 road between Ballyvaughan and Ennistymon. The Aille River flows through the town, where it is joined by the Gowlaun and Kilmoon streams. The town is in the civil parish of Kilmoon. Nearby townlands in this parish include Ballyinsheen Beg, Ballyinsheen More, Rathbaun and Rooska. Name The town takes its name from the Irish ''Lios Dúin Bhearna'' meaning the "lios dúin", or enclosured fort, of the gap (''bearna''). It is believed that the fort referred to in this name is the green earthen fort of Lissateeaun ("fort of the fairy hill"), which lies 3 km to the northeast of the town, nea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stalactite
A stalactite (, ; from the Greek 'stalaktos' ('dripping') via ''stalassein'' ('to drip') is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble and that can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension, or is capable of being melted, may form a stalactite. Stalactites may be composed of lava, minerals, mud, peat, pitch, sand, sinter, and amberat (crystallized urine of pack rats). A stalactite is not necessarily a speleothem, though speleothems are the most common form of stalactite because of the abundance of limestone caves. The corresponding formation on the floor of the cave is known as a stalagmite. Mnemonics have been developed for which word refers to which type of formation; one is that ''stalactite'' has a C for "ceiling", and ''stalagmite'' has a G for "ground". Another example is that ''stalactites'' "hang on ''T''ight" and ''stalagmites'' "''M''ight grow up" †... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doolin Cave
Doolin Cave ( or ''Poll-an-Ionain'') is a limestone cave near Doolin in County Clare, Ireland, on the western edge of The Burren. The name is the anglicised version of the Irish language, Irish name , which is said to translate into "Ivy Cliff Cave". The cave attracted some controversy due to its development and marketing as a show cave in the early 21st century. It is now open to the public, branded as ''Doolin Cave''. Great Stalactite The cave's most notable feature is the Great Stalactite. This is one of the world's longest known free-hanging stalactites, reported to be in length. This figure is a matter of some confusion, however, as it is also variously described as being 11 m, 6.2 m and 6.54 m. It is the longest known free-hanging stalactite in Europe, the three largest in the world being located in two caves in Mexico, and one in Jeita Grotto, Lebanon. History The cave was discovered in 1952 by J. M. Dickenson and Brian M. Varley of the Craven Pothol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aillwee Cave
Aillwee Cave (Irish: ''Aill BhuÃ'') is a cave system in the karst landscape of the Burren in County Clare, Ireland. The name ''Aillwee'' is derived from the Irish which means "yellow cliff". Privately owned, it forms part of the Aillwee Cave and Birds of Prey Centre attraction. Description The cave system consists of over a kilometre 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. 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 to west but turns due south some into the cave. The cave is considerably older than most of the Clare caves and originally contained a large stream. The stream has all but disappeared from the cave and is heavily backfilled with gl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite.Blatt, Harvey and Robert J. Tracy (1996) ''Petrology: Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic'', 2nd ed., Freeman, pp. 281–292 Shale is characterized by its tendency to split into thin layers ( laminae) less than one centimeter in thickness. This property is called '' fissility''. Shale is the most common sedimentary rock. The term ''shale'' is sometimes applied more broadly, as essentially a synonym for mudrock, rather than in the more narrow sense of clay-rich fissile mudrock. Texture Shale typically exhibits varying degrees of fissility. Because of the parallel orientation of clay mineral flakes in shale, it breaks into thin layers, often splintery and usually parallel to the otherwise indistinguishable beddin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cliffs Of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher (; ) are sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. They run for about . At their southern end, they rise above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and, to the north, they reach their maximum height of just north of O'Brien's Tower, a round stone tower near the midpoint of the cliffs, built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, then continue at lower heights. The closest settlements are the villages of Liscannor to the south, and Doolin to the north. From the cliffs, and from atop the tower, visitors can see the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, the Maumturks and Twelve Pins mountain ranges to the north in County Galway, and Loop Head to the south. The cliffs rank among the most visited tourist sites in Ireland, with around 1.5 million visits per year. Name The cliffs take their name from an old promontory fort called ''Mothar'' or ''Moher'', which once stood on Hag's Head, the southernmost point of the cliffed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Ballyvaughan")
