The Burren (; ) is a
karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
/
glaciokarst
Glaciokarst is a karst landscape that was glaciated during the cold periods of the Pleistocene and displays major landforms of glacial influence.
Examples of glaciokarst landscapes are found in the United Kingdom and in the Dinaric Alps especiall ...
landscape centred in
County Clare
County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...
, on the west coast of
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
.
Burren National Park - Geology - "The Burren is one of the finest examples of a Glacio-Karst landscape in the world. At least two glacial advances are known in the Burren area." It measures around , within the circle made by the villages of
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 pop ...
,
Corofin,
Gort
Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, wh ...
and
Kinvara
Kinvara or Kinvarra () is a sea port village in the southwest of County Galway, Ireland. It is located in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Kinvarradoorus in the north of the Barony (Ireland), barony of Kiltartan. Kinvarra is also ...
.
The area includes such natural features as
Aillwee Cave and
Ailladie
Ailladie ( ga, Aill an Daill, lit=Blind Man's Cliff; also known locally as the Ballyreen Cliffs and Ballyreen Point), is an west-facing limestone sea cliff, that varies in height from to , situated on the coast of The Burren in County Clare, ...
cliffs, and historic monuments such as
Poulnabrone dolmen
Poulnabrone dolmen (Poll na Brón in Irish) is an unusually large dolmen or portal tomb located in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland. Situated on one of the most desolate and highest points of the region, it comprises three standing portal sto ...
and
Caherconnell Stone Fort.
The
Burren National Park
Burren National Park ( ga, Páirc Náisiúnta Bhoirne) is one of six national parks in Ireland, managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It covers a small part of the Burren, a karst landscape in County Clare on the west coast.
Bur ...
covers a small part of the Burren and is the smallest of the six
National Parks
A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...
in Ireland, while the adjacent territory, including the
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 ...
, is included in the
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 de ...
.
Location
![Burren_Landscape_3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Burren_Landscape_3.jpg)
While the name is generally applied to the limestone uplands of northwestern Clare, and adjacent lowlands, and generally excludes the area of ''Clare shales'' to the southwest, the exact extent of the area is not clearly defined, and geologically it does extend into
County Galway to both the north and northeast (see ''Geology'' below). The southeastern pocket of Co. Galway around Kinvara is usually included, and is the base for many Burren organisations.
The Burren is bounded by the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
and by
Galway Bay
Galway Bay ( Irish: ''Loch Lurgain'' or ''Cuan na Gaillimhe'') is a bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south; Galw ...
, with the
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran i ...
representing a geological extension of the limestone hills that make up most of The Burren.
According to one definition, the Burren extends south to a line from the coastal resort of
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 no ...
to Corofin and is delimited in the east by a line roughly from Kinvara to
Kilmacduagh monastery
Kilmacduagh Monastery is a ruined abbey near the town of Gort in County Galway, Ireland. It was the birthplace of the Diocese of Kilmacduagh. It was reportedly founded by Saint Colman, son of Duagh in the 7th century, on land given him by his ...
, near
Gort
Gort ( or ) is a town of around 3,000 inhabitants in County Galway in the west of Ireland. Located near the border with County Clare, the town lies between the Burren and the Slieve Aughty and is served by the R458 and R460 regional roads, wh ...
. Note that taken literally, this would includes places like the town of
Ennistymon
Ennistymon or Ennistimon () is a country market town in County Clare, near the west coast of Ireland. The River Inagh, with its small rapids known as the Cascades, runs through the town, behind the main street. A bridge across the river leads to ...
and the
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 ...
, which would more commonly be considered as neighbouring the Burren.
In another definition, the agriculture focused "Burren Programme" defines the region as extending well into the Gort plain, encompassing inter alia
Coole Park
Coole Park is a nature reserve of approximately located a few miles west of Gort, County Galway, Ireland.
It is managed by the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service, part of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
The park is i ...
and the
turloughs around it, while to the south it would extend to
Ruan
Ruan may refer to:
Buildings
* Ruan Center, office building in Des Moines, Iowa
* John Ruan House, historic mansion in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, t ...
and
Crusheen
Crusheen () is a small village in County Clare, Ireland, in the civil parish of Crusheen (Inchicronan).
Location
The village is 10 kilometres northeast of Ennis on the R458 road to Gort.
It is in the parish of Crusheen (Inchicronan) in the R ...
, and in the southwest to the edge of
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 ...
, as well as the routine Lisdoonvarna, Kilfenora and Corofin.
Thus the stated size of the Burren varies between around (the core area of exposed limestone), through (taking in all limestone landscapes) and 560 square kilometers (including the about of downland), depending on the approach taken. Roughly 60% of the uplands show exposed limestone pavement.
Climate
The Burren has a temperate oceanic climate. Average air temperatures range from in July to in January, while the soil temperature does not usually drop below 6 °C (as an exception, in late 2010, there was a prolonged period of snow). Since grass will grow once the temperature rises above 6 °C, this means that The Burren (like the neighbouring Aran Islands) has one of the longest growing seasons in Ireland or Britain, and supports diverse and rich plant growth.
[European Forum on Nature Conservatism and Pastoralism]
The Burren - Facts
The area has around of annual rainfall (more than twice the amount observed in eastern Ireland),
with an average level of over monthly from October to January
Late May is the sunniest time, and also a good time to view flowers, with the
gentians and
avens Avens may refer to:
Flowering plants
* The genus '' Dryas''
* The genus ''Geum''
People
* Robert Avens, author, notably of a book about Henry Corbin
*Pjotrs Avens, Latvian name of Petr Aven, Russian businessman and politician of Latvian desce ...
peaking (but orchid species blooming later).
During counter-guerrilla operations in The Burren in 1651–52,
Edmund Ludlow
Edmund Ludlow (c. 1617–1692) was an English parliamentarian, best known for his involvement in the execution of Charles I, and for his ''Memoirs'', which were published posthumously in a rewritten form and which have become a major source ...
stated, "''(Burren) is a country where there is not enough water to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him...... and yet their cattle are very fat; for the grass growing in turfs of earth, of two or three foot square, that lie between the rocks, which are of limestone, is very sweet and nourishing.''"
Geology
Stratigraphy
The area is formed from a thick succession of
sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...
s, largely limestones but also including
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
s,
mudstone
Mudstone, a type of mudrock, is a fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Mudstone is distinguished from '' shale'' by its lack of fissility (parallel layering).Blatt, H., and R.J. Tracy, 1996, ''Petrology. ...
s and
siltstones
Siltstone, also known as aleurolite, is a clastic sedimentary rock that is composed mostly of silt. It is a form of mudrock with a low clay mineral content, which can be distinguished from shale by its lack of fissility.Blatt ''et al.'' 1980, p ...
. All of the solid rocks exposed at the surface are of
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Permian Period, million years ago. The name ''Carbonifero ...
age though they are underlain at depth by
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is an assemblage of rocks in the North Atlantic region largely of Devonian age. It extends in the east across Great Britain, Ireland and Norway, and in the west along the northeastern seaboard of North America. It also exte ...
of
Devonian
The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, whe ...
age which in turn overlies rocks of Lower
Palaeozoic age. None of the pre-Carboniferous rocks is seen at the surface in the area.
[Landscape and Rocks of the Burren: a guide to the geology of the area. Geological Survey of Ireland 2008] The limestones, which date from the
Visean stage of the early Carboniferous, formed as sediments in a tropical sea approximately 325 million years ago. The strata contain fossil
coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and sec ...
s,
crinoid
Crinoids are marine animals that make up the class Crinoidea. Crinoids that are attached to the sea bottom by a stalk in their adult form are commonly called sea lilies, while the unstalked forms are called feather stars or comatulids, which are ...
s,
sea urchin
Sea urchins () are spiny, globular echinoderms in the class Echinoidea. About 950 species of sea urchin live on the seabed of every ocean and inhabit every depth zone from the intertidal seashore down to . The spherical, hard shells (tests) of ...
s and
ammonites
Ammonoids are a group of extinct marine mollusc animals in the subclass Ammonoidea of the class Cephalopoda. These molluscs, commonly referred to as ammonites, are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e., octopuses, squid and cuttlefish) ...
. This bed of limestone is up to 800 metres thick. In the north and west it lies on a shelf of Galway granite which supported the upper layers, preventing shifts like those that created the "twisted" hills Knockanes and Mullaghmore. The limestone also extends below Galway Bay out to the Aran Islands and to the east into the Gort plain.
Later in the Carboniferous (c. 318 million years ago), the limestone was covered by darker sand and mud that later turned into
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, especial ...
(the lower "Clare Shales") and
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
(the upper "Millstone Grit"). These layers reached a thickness of up to in north Clare. These top layers protected the underlying limestone from erosion for millions of years before being largely stripped away by glaciers, except in the south west, where they still extend from Doolin to Slieve Elva, Lisdoonvarna, Kilfenora and to the western shore of Lake Inchiquin. One "island" of shale is the hill Poulacapple, southwest of Ballyvaughan, where an upland moor has formed on top of the impermeable shale layers.
[
]
The local geological succession comprises the following
formations some of which are subdivided into various
members
Member may refer to:
* Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon
* Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set
* In object-oriented programming, a member of a class
** Field (computer science), entries in ...
. The youngest rocks are at the start of the list, the oldest at the bottom. The first three listed are of
Namurian
The Namurian is a stage in the regional stratigraphy of northwest Europe with an age between roughly 326 and 313 Ma (million years ago). It is a subdivision of the Carboniferous system or period and the regional Silesian series. The Namurian is ...
age and are a mix of mudstones, sandstones and siltstones, the remainder are Visean age limestones.
*Central Clare Group
*Gull Island Formation
*Clare Shale Formation
*Slievenaglasha Formation
**Lissylisheen Member
**Ballyelly Member
**Fahee North Member
**Balliny Member
*Burren Formation
**Ailwee Member
**Maumcaha Member
**Hawkhill Member
**Fanore Member
**Black Head Member
*Tubber Formation
**Finavarra Member
**Castlequarter Member
**Newtown Member
**Fiddaun Member
**Cregmahon Member
Quaternary
Glaciation during the late
Quaternary
The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ...
period (beginning c. one million years ago) facilitated greater denudation. Glaciers expanded and retreated over the region several times. Of the last two periods the first was the more pronounced, covering the whole of the Burren. The last advance of the ice cover was more limited, affecting only the eastern Burren.
The result is that The Burren is one of the finest examples of
glacio-karst landscape in the world. The effects of the
last glacial period (the Midlandian) are most in evidence, with The Burren overrun by ice during this glaciation.
The impact of earlier
karstification
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
(solutional erosion) has been eliminated by the last glacial period. So any surface karstification now seen dates from approximately 10,000 years ago and The Burren karst is thus very recent in geological terms.
Solutional processes have widened and deepened the grikes of the
limestone pavement
A limestone pavement is a natural karst landform consisting of a flat, incised surface of exposed limestone that resembles an artificial pavement. The term is mainly used in the UK and Ireland, where many of these landforms have developed dis ...
. Pre-existing lines of weakness in the rock (vertical joints) contribute to the formation of extensive fissures separated by clints (flat pavement like slabs). The rock karstification facilitates the formation of subterranean drainage. This has formed numerous cave systems of which more than 50 kilometres have been mapped.
The most accessible of these is
Aillwee Cave.
Due to the processes mentioned, there are very few permanent surface rivers in the region. The Caher, flowing into the sea at
Fanore
Fanore () is a small village in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht, an Irish-speaking community, until 1956.
Geography
Location
Lying on the road between Bally ...
, is one of the most stable.
Some of the large valleys, mostly running south to north, that are still visible today are in fact the remains of pre-glacial river valleys. The rivers disappeared from the surface when the upper layers of stone had been stripped away.
Another characteristic features of The Burren are closed roughly circular depressions with no surface outlets for water (called
polje
A polje, also karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually . The name derives from the Slavic languages and literally means 'field', whereas in English ''polje'' specific ...
). Around 100 of these exist, mostly present in the eastern Burren. The most notable are the valleys of Kilcorney, Poulawilan, Caherconnel and Carran, generally stretching from northeast to southwest. The largest is the Carran depression, more than two miles long, up to a mile wide and over 200 feet deep. This is where the pre-glacial rivers of the area first eroded away the upper layers and started to dissolve the exposed limestone. Some of the smaller ones were created when caves underneath collapsed (one example of this is the Glen of Clab).
Glaciers also deposited numerous granite and limestone
erratics on the pavements. The former were carried south across Galway Bay by the second-to-last glaciation. Granite boulders can be found mostly in the north of the Burren. The final ice cover came from the northeast and mostly deposited limestone erratics. On Slieve Elva these are visible today at elevations of up to mabove sea level. The characteristic terracing of the hills occurred when vertical joints weathered and large blocks of limestone fell off and were further eroded away.
Towards the very end of the Ice Age the glaciers ended for a time at Fanore. At that time, Slieve Elva and Knockauns hill alone rose above the surrounding ice fields. The valleys facing Galway Bay had been widened considerably by glacial action, first when the ice moved south from Connemara and then when meltwater sought a runoff. When the ice finally retreated it also left moraines in valley bottoms and the characteristic
drumlin
A drumlin, from the Irish word ''droimnín'' ("littlest ridge"), first recorded in 1833, in the classical sense is an elongated hill in the shape of an inverted spoon or half-buried egg formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated ...
s (most of them on top of the shale and sandstone to the south). The Caher Valley was almost choked up by deposited sand and rocks and these also piled up against the western slopes of Slieve Elva. It was this protective layer of sediment that has made surface streams locally possible once more.
Today, the uplands' highest point is on the hill Slieve Elva, whose shale cover rises up to above sea level.
Landscape types and habitats
In addition to the limestone pavement, major landscape types, providing the habitats for the flora and fauna, include limestone heath, dry calcareous grasslands, calcareous (calcifying or petrifying) springs, the intermittent water bodies called
turloughs, bogs,
cladium fens, lakes, wet grasslands, scrub and light woodland, and neutral, and farm-improved, grasslands.
Flora and fauna
Flora
The Burren is renowned for its remarkable assemblage of plants and animals, and over 70% of Ireland's species of flowers are found there.
[Clare, The Burrenbeo Trust]
The Burren - Conservation
The region supports
Arctic–alpine
An Arctic–alpine taxon is one whose natural distribution includes the Arctic and more southerly mountain ranges, particularly the Alps. The presence of identical or similar taxa in both the tundra of the far north, and high mountain ranges much f ...
and
Mediterranean Basin
In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...
plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment.
The region supports many rare Irish species, some of which are only found in this area. Others occur in similar karst areas in western Ireland. Notable plants include ''
Festuca indigesta'' seen in 1949 and ''
Arenaria norvegica'' identified only once, in 1961. Two of the 24 types of ''
Taraxacum
''Taraxacum'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions. The scientific and hobby study of the genus is known as taraxacology. The genus is native to Eurasia and Nor ...
'' found here are "practically unique to the Burren".
23 of the 28 types of orchids found in Ireland grow in the Burren, including unique forms such as ''
Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. okellyi''.
The grikes (crevices in the limestone) provide moist shelter, supporting a wide range of plants including dwarf shrubs. Where the surface of the limestone pavement is shattered into gravel many of the hardier Arctic or alpine plants can be found, while when the limestone pavement is covered by a thin layer of soil patches of grass are seen, interspersed with herbaceous plants. Among the flowers recorded from the Burren is the
spring gentian, an alpine plant with bright blue flowers that are used as a symbol for the area by the national tourist board,
Failte Ireland. The Irish orchid (''
Neotinea maculata'' and 21 other
species of orchids ) and bloody cranesbill (''
Geranium sanguineum
''Geranium sanguineum'', common names bloody crane's-bill or bloody geranium, is a species of hardy flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the cranesbill family Geraniaceae. It is also the county flower of Northumberland.
Geranium sanguineum ...
'') also occur. Other notable flowers are ''
Anacamptis pyramidalis'', ''
Platanthera chlorantha
''Platanthera chlorantha'', commonly known as greater butterfly-orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus ''Platanthera''. It can be found throughout Europe and Morocco. The name ''Platanthera'' is derived from Greek, meaning "broad anthers", ...
'', ''
Ophrys insectifera
''Ophrys insectifera'', the fly orchid, is a species of orchid and the type species of the genus ''Ophrys''. It is remarkable as an example of the use of sexually deceptive pollination and floral mimicry, as well as a highly selective and highly ...
'' ''
Euphrasia salisburgensis'', ''
Lathyrus linifolius
''Lathyrus linifolius'' is a species of pea, commonly called bitter vetch or heath pea. The name bitter vetch is also sometimes used for '' Vicia ervilia'' and also for '' Vicia orobus''. The tubers of ''Lathyrus linifolius'' were formerly used a ...
'', ''
Carlina vulgaris
''Carlina vulgaris'', the carline thistle, is a plant species of the genus '' Carlina''.
It is a biennial that grows on limestone, chalky or other alkaline grasslands or dunes. The flowers are clusters of very small brown florets surrounded by br ...
'', ''
Centaurium erythraea
''Centaurium erythraea'' is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common names common centaury and European centaury.
Description
This is an erect biennial herb which reaches half a meter in height. It grows from a sma ...
'', ''
Succisa pratensis'', ''
Primula veris
''Primula veris'', the cowslip, common cowslip, or cowslip primrose ( syn. ''Primula officinalis'' ), is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the primrose family Primulaceae. The species is native throughout most of temperate Europe and ...
'', ''
Filipendula vulgaris
''Filipendula vulgaris'', commonly known as dropwort or fern-leaf dropwort, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Rosaceae, closely related to meadowsweet (''Filipendula ulmaria''). It is found in dry pastures across much of Europe an ...
'', ''
Parnassia palustris
''Parnassia palustris'', the marsh grass of Parnassus, northern grass-of-Parnassus, or just grass-of-Parnassus, and bog star, is a flowering plant in the staff-vine family Celastraceae.
It is the county flower of Cumberland in England, and appe ...
'', ''
Campanula rotundifolia
''Campanula rotundifolia'', the harebell, Scottish bluebell, or bluebell of Scotland, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. This herbaceous perennial is found throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemi ...
'', ''
Helianthemum oelandicum
''Helianthemum oelandicum'', commonly called hoary rockrose, is a low growing plant confined to rocky dry calcareous areas especially close to the sea.
Description
The plant typically has a central stock from which numerous branches radiate hor ...
'', ''
Polygala vulgaris
''Polygala vulgaris'', known as the common milkwort, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the genus '' Polygala'' in the family Polygalaceae.
Description
The biological form of ''Polygala vulgaris'' is '' hemicryptophyte'' ''scapose'',Pignatti S. ...
'', ''
Saxifraga hypnoides'', ''
Potentilla fruticosa'', ''
Antennaria dioeca'', ''
Primula vulgaris
''Primula vulgaris'', the common primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae, native to western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and parts of southwest Asia.''Flora Europaea'Primula vulgaris''/ref> The common name ...
'', ''
Hypericum androsaemum
''Hypericum androsaemum'', also referred to as Tutsan, Shrubby St. John's Wort, or sweet-amber, is a flowering plant in the family Hypericaceae. It is a perennial shrub reaching up to 70 cm in height, native to open woods and hillsides in E ...
'', ''
Asperula cynanchica'', ''
Rhinanthus minor
''Rhinanthus minor'', known as yellow rattle, is a herbaceous wildflower in the genus ''Rhinanthus'' in the family Orobanchaceae (the broomrapes). It has circumpolar distribution in Europe, Russia, western Asia, and northern North America. An an ...
'', ''
Blackstonia perfoliata'' and ''
Dryas octopetala
''Dryas octopetala'', the mountain avens, eightpetal mountain-avens, white dryas or white dryad, is an Arctic–alpine flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. It is a small prostrate evergreen subshrub forming large colonies. The specific epithe ...
''. Another prominent presence in limestone grikes are around 24 species of fern, such as the Mediterranean ''
Adiantum capillus-veneris
''Adiantum capillus-veneris'', the Southern maidenhair fern, black maidenhair fern, maidenhair fern, and venus hair fern, is a species of ferns in the genus ''Adiantum'' and the family Pteridaceae with a subcosmopolitan worldwide distribution. I ...
''.
The area is notable for the unusually close vicinity of both plants that hate lime and those that do well on it. Acid-loving plants such as ''
Calluna
''Calluna vulgaris'', common heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus ''Calluna'' in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found ...
'' grow well on patches of acidic peat that effectively isolates them from the underlying basic limestone.
Fauna
Of the more than 30 species of butterflies and moths found in Ireland only two are not present in the Burren.
Notable insects present in the Burren include the butterflies the
pearl-bordered fritillary
The pearl-bordered fritillary (''Boloria euphrosyne'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae found in Europe and through Russia across the Palearctic to the north of Kazakhstan.
Description
The adult butterfly is orange with black spots on ...
(''Boloria euphrosyne''),
brown hairstreak
The brown hairstreak (''Thecla betulae'') is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The range includes most of the Palaearctic.
Description
The following description of this butterfly was written by Adalbert Seitz in 1909:
''Z. betulae'' L. B ...
(''Thecla betulae''),
marsh fritillary
The marsh fritillary (''Euphydryas aurinia'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Commonly distributed in the Palearctic region, the marsh fritillary's common name derives from one of its several habitats, marshland. The prolonged larval s ...
(''Euphydryas aurinia'') and
wood white (''Leptidea sinapis''); the moths, the
Burren green (''Calamia tridens'', which is only present in Ireland in this area),
Irish annulet (''Gnophos dumetata'') and
transparent burnet (''Zygaena purpuralis''); the hoverfly ''
Doros profuges'' and the water-beetle ''
Ochthebius nilssoni''. This last species is known from just five sites in the world, its type locality in northern Sweden and four
marl lakes in The Burren.
The Burren is one of the main breeding areas in Ireland of the
European pine marten
The European pine marten (''Martes martes''), also known as the pine marten, is a mustelid native to and widespread in most of Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus and parts of Iran, Iraq and Syria. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. ...
. Also present are badgers, foxes and stoats. The hillsides of the Burren also host herds of feral goats.
All seven species of bats present in Ireland can be found in The Burren.
Otters
Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes wea ...
live along the coast, as do
grey seal
The grey seal (''Halichoerus grypus'') is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" or " ...
s.
Porpoises,
dolphin
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...
s and
basking shark
The basking shark (''Cetorhinus maximus'') is the second-largest living shark and fish, after the whale shark, and one of three plankton-eating shark species, along with the whale shark and megamouth shark. Adults typically reach in leng ...
s can be spotted off Black Head and various sections of the
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 ...
.
A wide range of bird species are also found in the Burren, including crows and
ravens
Ravens may refer to:
* Raven, a species of the genus ''Corvus''
Sports
* Anderson Ravens, the intercollegiate athletic program of Anderson University in Indiana
* Baltimore Ravens, a professional American football franchise
* Benedictine Ravens, ...
,
peregrine falcons
The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, ...
,
kestrels
The term kestrel (from french: crécerelle, derivative from , i.e. ratchet) is the common name given to several species of predatory birds from the falcon genus ''Falco''. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviou ...
, various gulls,
guillemots,
razorbills
The razorbill, razor-billed auk, or lesser auk (''Alca torda'') is a colonial seabird and the only extant member of the genus '' Alca'' of the family Alcidae, the auks. It is the closest living relative of the extinct great auk (''Pinguinis imp ...
,
kittiwakes,
fulmars
The fulmars are tubenosed seabirds of the family Procellariidae. The family consists of two extant species and two extinct fossil species from the Miocene.
Fulmars superficially resemble gulls, but are readily distinguished by their flight on ...
,
puffins
Puffins are any of three species of small alcids (auks) in the bird genus ''Fratercula''. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crev ...
and
shags.
History
Prehistory
![Paulnabrone](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Paulnabrone.jpg)
Archaeological evidence from cave finds of butchered bones have been radiocarbon dated to 33,000 years ago, showing evidence of hunters during the Ice Age.
Pollen analysis indicates that in the
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic (Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic is often used synonymous ...
period of 8000 to 7000 BC The Burren looked completely different from today, with most of the uplands covered in a mixture of deciduous, pine and yew trees. No clear evidence of Mesolithic settlements or camp sites in the area has yet been discovered. At the limits of the region, near
Lake Inchiquin and at the so-called "Doolin Axe Factory", stone artifacts have been discovered that may be Mesolithic in origin. However, by the
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
, c. 4000 BC, settlers had clearly arrived and began changing the landscape through deforestation, likely by overgrazing and burning, and the building of stone walls. These people also constructed Megalithic sites like the portal tomb known as
Poulnabrone dolmen
Poulnabrone dolmen (Poll na Brón in Irish) is an unusually large dolmen or portal tomb located in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland. Situated on one of the most desolate and highest points of the region, it comprises three standing portal sto ...
and the
court tombs at Teergonean (near Doolin) and Ballyganner (near
Noughaval
Noughaval or Nohoval ( ga, Nuachabháil) is a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland.
Name
The name of the parish means "new acquisition" or "new settlement".
Geography Location
The parish lies ...
). Overall, there are around 70 megalithic tombs in the Burren area, more than half of all of these structures found in Clare.
The most numerous type of prehistoric structure (apart from stone walls) in The Burren is the late-Neolithic/early-
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
wedge tomb
A gallery grave is a form of megalithic tomb built primarily during the Neolithic Age in Europe in which the main gallery of the tomb is entered without first passing through an antechamber or hallway. There are at least four major types of ga ...
, mostly dated to the period 2500 to 2000 BC. It accounts for around 90% of the region's megalithic tombs. Many examples of these are found on Roughan Hill near
Kilnaboy
Kilnaboy or Killinaboy () is a village, townland and civil parish in County Clare, Ireland. It is located in the Burren, and as of the 2011 census the area had 347 inhabitants.
Civil parish
Kilnaboy is a parish in the historic Barony (Ireland ...
, including those at
Parknabinnia and
Creevagh. Others are located at
Gleninsheen and Berneens (Rathborney) and Poulaphuca (Carran). Large stone cairns on many hills, such as the
Poulawack Cairn, also date from this period.
The economy at that time was likely based on pastoral farming in fairly small groups. As is still done today, the cattle were moved in a reverse of the usual seasonal pattern: cattle are moved to the uplands in the winter, allowing year round grazing.
Evidence of
Beaker pottery
The Bell Beaker culture, also known as the Bell Beaker complex or Bell Beaker phenomenon, is an archaeological culture named after the Inverted bell, inverted-bell beaker (archaeology), beaker drinking vessel used at the very beginning of the E ...
was found on Roughan Hill, but in general few signs of the actual settlements of the Neolithic people have been found. This may be due to the fact that their structures were lightly built (from wood or other non-permanent materials).
![Gleninsheen gold gorget](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Gleninsheen_gold_gorget.jpg)
During the Bronze Age, locals also built many ''
Fulachtai fiadh'', remains of more than 300 survive in the region. Their exact function is still debated, but they probably served as places where water was heated by fire, either for cooking, brewing or bathing purposes.
However, in contrast to the quantity of archaeological evidence found, the population of The Burren likely declined noticeably between the late Neolithic and the end of the Bronze Age. This was likely largely due to a shift in the climate, possibly related to the volcanic eruption known as "
Hekla 4". Around the end of the 3rd millennium BC temperatures dropped and the climate became wetter. Heavy rainfall combined with previous clearing activity to cause serious soil erosion in the uplands. Evidence suggests that much of the soil cover over the limestone karst was in fact removed during the Middle and Late Bronze Age. This reduction in the area of fertile land put pressure on population numbers and probably increased conflicts over scarce resources. Building of new stone walls largely came to an end – there is a gap in documented building between the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age and early Christian periods. By the end of the Bronze Age, the uplands were largely depopulated.
Nevertheless, like the
Mooghaun North Hoard
The Mooghaun North Hoard or ''Great Clare Find'' is the name of an important Bronze Age hoard found at Mooghaun North, near Newmarket-on-Fergus in County Clare, Ireland. Considered one of the greatest Bronze Age hoards of gold ever found north of ...
found near Newmarket-on-Fergus, the discovery of a golden Bronze Age gorget in
Gleninsheen townland indicates the (at least temporary) local presence of a late Bronze Age society that was rich, mobile and well-connected via trade networks with other regions.
Like in many places of Ireland, datable
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
sites are rare in The Burren. This may be due to the use of dwellings that did not leave durable traces (wooden buildings or even tents). Some of the extant
ráths, cashels or cahers may actually have Iron Age origins. However, few have been excavated and those that have been the subject of research, like
Cahercommaun
Cahercommaun (), sometimes ''Cahercommane'', is a triple stone ringfort on the south-east edge of the Burren area, in Kilnaboy, near the rural village of Carran, in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It was built in the 9th century.
Fe ...
,
Caherconnel,
Cahermore or
Ballyallaban, are thought to be early Medieval or later in origin. The large enigmatic enclosure of Turlough Hill (see
Oughtmama) may be Iron Age or earlier. Definite regional findings from this era are limited to a few bronze horse bridles discovered near Corofin and at Ballyalla (
Kilshanny
Kilshanny ( ga, Cill Seanaigh) is a village and a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland.
Geography
It is located on the N67 national secondary road. Today, the village amenities include a pub (Kilshanny House), a primary school (St. Augustine ...
).
Medieval
![Corecomroe Abbey Ruhende Statue](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Corecomroe_Abbey_Ruhende_Statue.jpg)
In the Iron Age and early Medieval times, the region was controlled by a family or tribe known as the ''Corco Modhruadh'', meaning "seed" or "people of Modhruadh". They were one of dozens of minor tribes in Ireland at that time, which occupied a discrete area (''tuath'') and were joined by a common bloodline or origin myths. By the time Christianity arrived locally, their territory had shrunk somewhat, encompassing what later became the Baronies of Burren and Corcomroe as well as some parts of Inchiquin barony (see below).
During the 5th and 6th centuries, the region appears to have been ruled from the
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands ( ; gle, Oileáin Árann, ) or The Arans (''na hÁrainneacha'' ) are a group of three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, off the west coast of Ireland, with a total area around . They constitute the historic barony of Aran i ...
by the ''Eóganacht Árann'', a minor branch of the
Eóganacht dynasty of Munster.
The history of these years is uncertain, but after the decline of the ''Eóganacht Árann'' the local ''Corco Modhruadh'' likely fell under the control of the ''
Uí Fiachrach Aidhne
Uí Fhiachrach Aidhne (also known as Hy Fiachrach) was a kingdom located in what is now the south of County Galway.
Legendary origins and geography
Originally known as Aidhne, it was said to have been settled by the mythical Fir Bolg. Dubhalta ...
'', a tribe from what is now southern Galway, who prospered in the 7th century. The local tribes were then probably subjects of the ''
Eóganacht Locha Léin
__NOTOC__
Eóganacht Locha Léin or Uí Cairpre Luachra were a branch of the ruling Eóganachta of Munster. Their territory was in Iarmuman or West Munster. Luachair (Lúachra) is the old name of a large district on the borders of Co Cork, Kerry a ...
'' until their influence declined in the early 9th century. Whether the ''Corco Modhruadh'' still existed as a distinct group at that point is uncertain, as they and their neighbours ''
Corcu Baiscind
The Corcu Baiscind were an early Érainn people or kingdom of what is now southern County Clare in Munster. They descended from Cairpre Baschaín, son of Conaire Cóem, a High King of Ireland. Closely related were the Múscraige and Corcu Duibn ...
'' may have been assimilated into or conquered by the ''
Déisi Tuisceart
The ''Déisi'' were a socially powerful class of peoples from Ireland that settled in Wales and western England between the ancient and early medieval period. The various peoples listed under the heading ''déis'' shared the same status in Gaeli ...
'' of eastern Clare, who won a major battle against the ''Corco Modhruadh'' in 744. By the 9th century, the ''Corco Modhruadh'' had been driven into the Burren uplands.
The Burren area is notable for the presence of several potential or likely "early" (i.e. pre-12th-century) ecclesiastical or monastic sites. These include Kilfenora, Kilnaboy,
Temple Cronan
Temple Cronan is a ruined medieval oratory or chapel built near a holy well in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland. The current building apparently dates from the 12th and 15th centuries, although it may partly incorporate earlier buildings or so ...
and the churches of Oughtmama. A broader definition of The Burren would also include
Dysert O'Dea Monastery
Dysert O'Dea Church (Irish: ''Díseart Uí Dheá'' - "the hermitage of Deá") near Corofin in County Clare, Ireland stands on the site of an early Christian monastery which was reportedly founded by St. Tola in the 8th century. Most of the pr ...
near Corofin and Kilmacduagh. The large number of extant cashels, almost 500 of which have been identified in The Burren (out of around 45,000 in Ireland), also indicates the presence of a sizeable (early) medieval population that supported and used these churches.
At the end of the first millennium, the ''
Dál gCais
The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent fr ...
'' expanded into the region, against the resistance of the incumbent
Uí Lochlainn and
O'Conor
The O'Conor family (Middle Irish: ''Ó Conchubhair''; Modern ga, Ó Conchúir) are an Irish noble house and were one of the most influential and distinguished royal houses in Ireland. The O'Conor family held the throne of the Kingdom of C ...
families. The later regionally dominant
O'Brien dynasty
The O'Brien dynasty ( ga, label=Classical Irish, Ua Briain; ga, label=Modern Irish, Ó Briain ; genitive ''Uí Bhriain'' ) is a nobility, noble house of Munster, founded in the 10th century by Brian Boru of the Dál gCais (Dalcassians). After ...
traced its origins to them. Evidence of Viking activity in the region is scant. They settled at Limerick, but in the Burren only a few artifacts of Scandinavian design have been found, centred mostly on Cahercommaun, which apparently was a major producer of wool at the time. A Viking arrowhead was found at the ringfort and a Viking hollow-bead necklace (likely dating from 820 to 850 AD) was discovered in nearby Glencurran Cave.
Either at the end of the 12th or early in the 13th century,
Cistercian
The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
monks came to the area and established ''Sancta Maria de Petra Fertili'', now known as
Corcomroe Abbey
Corcomroe Abbey (Irish: ''Mainistir Chorca Mrua'') is an early 13th-century Cistercian monastery located in the north of the Burren region of County Clare, Ireland, a few miles east of the village of Ballyvaughan in the Barony of Burren. It ...
.
In the 12th century, the ''Corco Modhruadh''/Corcomroe territory was made into the newly created
Diocese of Kilfenora
The Bishop of Kilfenora () was a separate episcopal title which took its name after the village of Kilfenora in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. In both the Church of Ireland and the Roman Catholic Church, the title is now united with ot ...
, of 13 parishes, and the church at Kilfenora became a cathedral.
At some point around the 12th century, the territory of "Corcomroe" was divided in two for administrative purposes: ''Corco Modhruadh Iartharach'' ("Western Corcomroe") and ''Corco Modhruadh Oirthearach'' ("Eastern Corcomroe"), also known as ''Boireann'' which in the late 16th century became the English administrative Baronies of
Corcomroe and
Burren, respectively.
The end of the Medieval period was a difficult era for people in the area. Like much of Europe, the region suffered from the
Great Famine (1315-7) and the
Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...
. In addition, infighting between the Gaelic lords contributed to a socio-economic decline of the region. This was also reflected in a regional hiatus in large construction projects during the 13th and most of the 14th century.
Early Modern
For a long-time the
Anglo-Norman incursions into Ireland had little direct impact on the region. As late as at the
Battle of Dysert O'Dea
The Battle of Dysert O'Dea took place on 10 May 1318 at Dysert O'Dea near Corofin, Ireland. It was part of the Bruce campaign in Ireland. The Norman Richard de Clare attacked the Gaelic Irish chieftain Conchobhar Ó Deághaidh, chief of ...
in 1318 some of the local clans allied to defeat a Norman army led by
Richard de Clare
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...
. The people and their rulers thus continued to live in fortified houses, often inside the cashels, mostly retaining their
Gaelic culture
The Gaels ( ; ga, Na Gaeil ; gd, Na Gàidheil ; gv, Ny Gaeil ) are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the British Isles. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languag ...
. One example of this are the
Brehon
Brehon ( ga, breitheamh, ) is a term for a historical arbitration, mediative and judicial role in Gaelic culture. Brehons were part of the system of Early Irish law, which was also simply called " Brehon law". Brehons were judges, close in impo ...
law schools of the O'Davorans at
Cahermacnaghten or the MacClancys at Doolin.
Only in the 15th and 16th centuries did the
tower houses
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strateg ...
as exemplified today by places like
Newtown Castle
Newtown Castle is a 16th-century tower house, located close to the village of Ballyvaughan within the Burren area of County Clare, Ireland. Uniquely for a tower house of its type in Ireland, Newtown Castle is mostly cylindrical in shape but ...
,
Shanmuckinish Castle,
Doonagore Castle
Doonagore Castle is a round 16th-century tower house with a small walled enclosure located about 1 km south of the coastal village of Doolin in County Clare, Ireland. Its name may be derived from ''Dún na Gabhair'', meaning "the fort of ...
or
Ballinalacken Castle
Ballinalacken Castle is a two-stage tower house located in Killilagh parish of County Clare, Ireland. It is of uncertain date but most likely was built in the 15th or early 16th century.
Name
The name probably derives from ''Baile na leachan'' ...
become widespread. Norman-type castles, such as the one built at
Quin Quin may refer to:
* Quin (name), including a list of people with the name
* Quin, colloquially, one of a set of quintuplets, a multiple birth of five individuals
* Quin (Sigilverse), a fictional planet
* Quin, County Clare, a village in County ...
, were absent in the Burren.
T.J. Westropp counted the remains of around 70 tower houses in the Baronies of Inchiquin, Corcomroe and Burren, with 21 of them located in the latter. Only around half of those 21 survive to any height in the 21st century. The distribution of the tower houses indicates that they were built close to the barony borders, which also represented the boundaries of the territories controlled by clans or families (see below). 11 of the 21 tower houses in the Barony of Burren lie within 1 km of its borders.
The O'Loughlin (Ó Lochlainn) clan ruled ''Boireann'' down to the mid-17th century from their chief residence at
Gregans Castle
Gregans Castle is the name applied to both a 15th-century tower house and a Georgian architecture, Georgian-style house in the Burren region of County Clare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, near the village of Ballyvaughan. The latter dates fr ...
(the tower house, not the house of the same name). The chief of the family was known in later times as the 'Prince of Burren' and clan members were buried in the family tomb near the altar of Corcomroe Abbey. Their kinsmen, the O'Conor (Ó Conchubhair), clan ruled ''Corco Modhruadh Iartharach'' from
Dough Castle
Dough Castle (Irish: Dumhach Ui Chonchuir – "sandbank of the O'Connors") is a ruined tower house at Lahinch in County Clare, western Ireland. It was established by the O'Conors in the early 14th century, but nothing remains of the original str ...
near
Liscannor
Liscannor () is a coastal village in County Clare, Ireland.
Geography
Lying on the west coast of Ireland, on Liscannor Bay, the village is located on the R478 road between Lahinch, to the east, and Doolin, to the north. The Cliffs of Moher ...
. The villages and towns found within the medieval territory of Boireann include Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, New Quay (Newquay) / Burrin (Burren),
Noughaval
Noughaval or Nohoval ( ga, Nuachabháil) is a Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Clare, Republic of Ireland, Ireland.
Name
The name of the parish means "new acquisition" or "new settlement".
Geography Location
The parish lies ...
, Bealaclugga (Bellharbour),
Carron Carron may refer to:
Rivers
* River Carron, Forth, a river in Central Scotland
* River Carron, Wester Ross
* River Carron, Sutherland
* Carron River (Queensland), a river in Australia
* Carron Water, Aberdeenshire, a river that flows into the Nort ...
and Fanore / Craggagh.
Both clans were eventually subjects of the O'Briens, the rulers of
Thomond
Thomond (Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nena ...
. Especially in the southwest, the O'Briens sometimes extended their direct influence, taking over houses and territories for themselves. They controlled the castles at
Dromoland
Dromoland Castle ( ga, Drom Ólainn) is a castle, located near Newmarket-on-Fergus in County Clare, Ireland. It is operated as a five-star luxury hotel with a golf course, with its restaurant, the "Earl of Thomond", being awarded a Miche ...
and
Leamaneh and later became the
Barons Inchiquin.
Culture
The Burren has a long history of traditional Irish music. It is particularly known for the "West Clare Style" of
concertina
A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It consists of expanding and contracting bellows, with buttons (or keys) usually on both ends, unlike accordion buttons, which are on the front.
The ...
playing, and music festivals in
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 ...
and
Corofin. The area also has a long history as a source of artistic inspiration, and has hosted a number of art galleries.
The Burren has inspired many non-fiction books, often accompanied by extensive illustration of the landscape. A series of
detective fiction
Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...
novels, written by Cora Harrison, features the Burren's
brehon
Brehon ( ga, breitheamh, ) is a term for a historical arbitration, mediative and judicial role in Gaelic culture. Brehons were part of the system of Early Irish law, which was also simply called " Brehon law". Brehons were judges, close in impo ...
judge (fictional) in the early 1500s, when the area still existed as a distinct Gaelic administration.
Economic activity
The leading economic activities in the Burren are agriculture and tourism.
Tourism
![County Clare - The Burren - 20200725121328](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/County_Clare_-_The_Burren_-_20200725121328.jpg)
The Burren has a reputation beyond Ireland, and, most notably with the Cliffs of Moher, but also with the major
show caves
A show cave—also called tourist cave, public cave, and, in the United States, commercial cave—is a cave which has been made accessible to the public for guided visits.
Definition
A show cave is a cave that has been made accessible to ...
,
dolmens
A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were somet ...
such as at
Poulnabrone
Poulnabrone dolmen (Poll na Brón in Irish) is an unusually large dolmen or portal tomb located in the Burren, County Clare, Ireland. Situated on one of the most desolate and highest points of the region, it comprises three standing portal sto ...
and other prehistoric sites, and centres of cultural activity, attracts tourists from a wide range of countries. There are a range of hotels, hostels, bed and breakfast facilities, and other accommodation providers.
Tourism presents some challenges in such an environmentally sensitive area, as it creates mostly seasonal employment, results in a large share of local houses being used only in the summer, and puts additional strain on environmental resources, thus exacerbating the effect of a significant increase in the number of houses in some areas during the 1990s and 2000s. This has been a thread in the development and preservation activities previously discussed, and has driven the growth of local ecotourism, and the "Leave No Trace" local campaigns. Concerns have also arisen about the level of day-tourism, especially by coaches, as opposed to overnight-staying tourists, who generate significantly more revenue.
Ecotourism in the Burren
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...
is an important factor in The Burren, with many organisations involved, including the Burren Ecotourism Network. A key goal is to deal with the challenge of protecting the vulnerable landscape, while at the same time having it provide a fair income for the local inhabitants and allowing it to cope with increased visitor numbers.
Sustainable
Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...
ecotourism and independent "'Ecotourism Certification" for companies are intended to deal with those conflicting demands.
Gastro-tourism
A Burren Food Trail was launched in 2013, and has more than 20 members offering hospitality, and / or food and drink products. The trail won the Irish prize in the European Destination of Excellence - Tourism and Local Gastronomy competition in 2015. In association with the food trail events such as a Slow Food festival and a Food Fayre are organised. The Food Fayre, part of the Burrenbeo-coordinated Winterage Festival around the October public holiday weekend, and run by the Burren Ecotourism Network and the Burren Food Trail team, reached its sixth year in 2017.
Agriculture
![Burren cows (mrmystery)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Burren_cows_%28mrmystery%29.jpg)
Due to climate and landscape, and techniques evolved over thousands of years, the Burren has a history as a productive agricultural landscape. Arable farming is limited, and the main animals kept are cattle and goats.
As summarized by local landscape organisation, the Burrenbeo Trust, the traditional local system of cattle husbandry "involves exploiting the unusual attributes afforded by the region's limestone geology. Up until quite recently, hardy native breeds of beef cattle were used to graze upland grasslands between the months of October and April, requiring scarcely any dietary supplement prior to their removal to finishing grass elsewhere." Thus the agricultural methods used but also protected the landscape.
Challenges
Since the 20th century the spread of
intensive farming
Intensive agriculture, also known as intensive farming (as opposed to extensive farming), conventional, or industrial agriculture, is a type of agriculture, both of crop plants and of animals, with higher levels of input and output per unit of ...
techniques (including sometimes heavy use of nitrate fertilisers) along with the possibilities offered by heavy equipment to transform limestone pavement into pasture has posed new challenges for the ecosystem and its diversity. Research conducted in the 1990s suggests that by the end of that decade the area of limestone pavement had halved since pre-Famine times, c. 1840, while from the 1970s to the 1990s alone, about 4% of pavements were converted into pasture or covered by roads.
Despite the intensification of agriculture on the uplands, population numbers fell from around 4,000 at the beginning of the 20th century to roughly 2,500 by the time of the 1991 Census, before rising once more. The number of farmers fell by 8% in the 1990s and average farm size increased to by 2001.
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A particular issue arose from the increasing spread of brush, notably hazel, but also blackthorn and hawthorn. These colonised more of the limestone area as a result of reduced grazing by cattle and goats. The increasing industrialization of agriculture and the introduction of different breeds of cattle led to shifts in cattle-raising practices – away from winter grazing, which kept down new growth, and towards supplementary feeding. In addition, in the past saplings were often pulled from fields by hand to maintain grazing areas. Trees also used to be harvested for firewood, hazel rods were used for thatching as well as for fence- and basket-making. As these practices ceased, the brush advanced. This notably reduces biodiversity in the affected areas.
BurrenLIFE
In response to under-grazing, loss of husbandry and land management traditions, and abandonment and consolidation of farms, the BurrenLIFE program, coordinated by the geopark, launched a new sustainable farming initiative. This began with twenty farms, representative of the diversity of local agriculture, for each of which a specific plan of costed actions was devised. After refinement, the initiative was extended to 320 farmers over two phases, and another 130 are expected to join a final phase. Typical recommendations enacted included scrub clearance, restoration of drystone walls, reduction in silage usage and a return to winter grazing.
Balancing needs
For the past decades, the government and private groups have attempted to square the demands of local farmers, tourists and the environment. In particular, sometimes outdated or leaky septic tanks used by rural houses have contributed to the damage done to groundwater by agricultural practices. In a limestone environment, the use of percolation and septic tanks may in fact not be a viable alternative to sewage treatment. However, this is still lacking in much of the area. The sewage of the village of Ballyvaughan, for example, is still pumped untreated into the sea.
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Development initiatives
Community and local authority programs have been launched over decades, notably a County Council initiative of the mid-2000s, which became ''Burren Connect'' in 2006, and led, in 2011, to the geopark, which in turn secured funding for the Geopark LIFE program. The Burrenbeo Trust, Burren Ecotourism Network and
Burren Way
The Burren Way () is a long-distance trail in County Clare, Ireland. It is long, begins in Lahinch and ends in Corofin, crossing The Burren, one of the largest karst limestone landscapes in Europe.
The trail, typically completed in five da ...
Committee are other examples.
Designations
Most of the Burren is today designated as a
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...
, including almost all upland, and much of the lowland and northern shore areas.
There are also designated Areas of Scientific Interest and Natural Heritage Areas.
Geopark
![Alladie Cliffs Co Clare](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Alladie_Cliffs_Co_Clare.jpg)
The
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 de ...
, formed in 2011 on the basis of earlier community and local authority work, is part of the
Global Geoparks Network (GGN) and recognised by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
since that year. Encompassing an expansively defined Burren, including the Cliffs of Moher, it is managed by the
Clare County Council
Clare County Council ( ga, Comhairle Contae an Chláir) is the authority responsible for local government in County Clare, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and ...
and supported by
Failte Ireland and the
Geological Survey of Ireland
Geological Survey Ireland or Geological Survey of IrelandS.I. No. 300/2002 - Communications, Energy and Geological Survey of Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 ( ga, Suirbhéireacht Gheolaíochta ...
.
The boundary of the Geopark extends from the vicinity of New Quay on Galway Bay, southeast to the Tubber area, then southwest to Corrofin then roughly west towards Doolin and includes the coastal strip containing the Cliffs of Moher. The geopark supports education and community engagement and
sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs of host communities. Su ...
and other development, and employs a full-time geologist, Dr.
Eamon N. Doyle.
National Park
The Burren National Park is one of six
National Parks
A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individua ...
in the country. Taking in a modest sampling of the southeastern Burren, about , it is made up of land purchased by the Irish government to be set aside for conservation purposes.
After a prolonged controversy (see
Mullaghmore Mullaghmore may refer to the following places in Ireland:
General
* Mullaghmore, County Clare, a limestone hill
* Mullaghmore Peninsula, a peninsula in County Sligo
** Mullaghmore, County Sligo, a village on the Mullaghmore Peninsula
* Mullaghmore, ...
and the
Burren Action Group), the planned construction of a visitor centre was shelved. The National Park currently has an information point at
Corofin. It is also associated with the preservation area at nearby
Dromore Wood.
Sport and leisure
The Burren's many limestone cliffs, particularly the sea-cliffs at
Ailladie
Ailladie ( ga, Aill an Daill, lit=Blind Man's Cliff; also known locally as the Ballyreen Cliffs and Ballyreen Point), is an west-facing limestone sea cliff, that varies in height from to , situated on the coast of The Burren in County Clare, ...
, are popular with
rock-climbers. For
cavers
Caving – also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland – is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology is ...
, there are a number of charted caves in the area, notably
Pollnagollum. Doolin is a popular "base camp" for cavers, and is home to one of the two main cave-rescue stores of the
Irish Cave Rescue Organisation
The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) is a voluntary body responsible for cave and abandoned mine rescues within the island of Ireland. The organisation attends, manages and carries out rescues at the request of the in the Republic of Irela ...
.
The Burren is popular with walkers and trails include the
Burren Way
The Burren Way () is a long-distance trail in County Clare, Ireland. It is long, begins in Lahinch and ends in Corofin, crossing The Burren, one of the largest karst limestone landscapes in Europe.
The trail, typically completed in five da ...
, often taken over a five-day period, and the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk of .
The Burren also has a range of local
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include t ...
clubs,
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
clubs and other sporting groups. While the landscape is challenging for maintenance of
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
clubs, there are facilities near Gort and
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 no ...
.
Gallery
File:The Burren.jpg, The Burren landscape
File:Burren_karst_meadow.jpg, Karst meadow
File:Flowers in the burren.jpg, Native flowers and rock formations
File:Karst_dome.jpg, Karst dome near Kilkeedy Parish - eastern part of The Burren
File:Burren_fence_made_of_rock.jpg, The Burren fence
See also
*
Burren Action Group
*
Slieve Rua
Slieve Rua () is a karst (limestone) hill in The Burren in County Clare, Ireland. The eccentrically shaped hill is located near Mullaghmore, County Clare, Mullaghmore within Burren National Park.
References
Mountains and hills of Count ...
*
Wild Atlantic Way
The Wild Atlantic Way ( ga, Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin) is a tourism trail on the west coast, and on parts of the north and south coasts, of Ireland. The 2,500 km (1,553 mile) driving route passes through nine counties and three provinces, s ...
References
Notes
#
BBC: The Flowers of the Burren, County Clare, Ireland# A similar quote "''The Burren affordeth not a piece of timber sufficient to hang a man, water in any one place to drown a man, or earth enough in any one part to bury him.''" can be found in "The Journal of
Thomas Dineley", 1681, in the National Library of Ireland. Extracts from his journal, including his account of the Clare section of his journey, were published in the ''Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries'', 6 (1867). These appear in an online version in "The History and Topography of the County of Clare" by James Frost Part II. History of Thomond Chapter 2
Barony of Burren
Bibliography
General, Geology, Landscape
*Feehan, J., Korff, A. & O'Connell, J.W., ''The Book of the Burren'', Irish Books and Media, 1991
*D’Arcy & Hayward. ''The Natural History of The Burren''.
*D'Arcy, Gordon: ''The Breathing Burren'', Cork: Collins Press, 2016
*Clements, Paul: ''Burren Country: Travels Through an Irish Limestone Landscape'', Cork: Collins Press, 2011 (reprint)
*
Poyntz, Sarah: ''Burren Villages'', Cork: Mercier Press, 2006
*Hennessy, R., McNamara, M., & Hoctor, Z., 2010 ''Stone, Water & Ice: A Geology Trip Through the Burren''. Burren Connect Project, pp. 64.
*Sheehy Skeffington, M., Moran, J., O Connor, Á., Regan, E., Coxon, C. E., Scott, N. E. & Gormally, M. 2006. ''Turloughs – Ireland’s unique wetland habitat''. In: ''Biological Conservation'' 133:265-290.
*Anon. ''The Burren: A Guide''. Shannonside Mid-Western Regional Tourism Organization Ltd., Limerick.
Flora
*D.A. Webb & M.J.P. Scannell. 1983 ''Flora of Connemara and The Burren''. Royal Dublin Society & Cambridge University Press.
*E. C. Nelson. ''Checklist of Plants of The Burren Region''.
*E.C. Nelson & W. Walsh. ''The Burren Wildflowers'', Conservancy of The Burren, An Bothan, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare.
*McCarthy, P.M. and Mitchell, M.E. 1988. ''Lichens of the Burren Hills and the Aran Islands.'' Galway. Officina Typographica.
Fauna
*Bilton, D.T., 1988. ''A survey of aquatic Coleoptera in Central Ireland and the Burren''. In: ''Bulletin of the Irish biogeographical Society'' 11: 77–94.
*Foster, G.N., Nelson, B.H. & O Connor, A. 2009. ''Ireland Red List No. 1 - Water beetles''. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin.
*O'Callagan, E., Foster, G.N., Bilton, D.T. & Reynolds, J.D. 2009 ''Ochthebius nilssoni'' Hebauer new for Ireland (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), including a key to Irish Ochthebius and Enicocerus. ''Irish Naturalists' Journal'' 30: 19-23
Archaeology
*Carthy, Hugh: ''Burren Archaeology'', Cork: Collins Press, 2011
*T. J. Westropp, 1999, ''Archaeology of The Burren: Prehistoric Forts and Dolmens in North Clare'' Clasp Press (reprint)
External links
The Burrenbeo TrustThe Burren Centre at Kilfenora
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burren, The
National parks of the Republic of Ireland
Protected areas of County Clare
Parks in County Clare
Alpine flora
Flora of the Arctic
Natural regions