County Clare: The Burren

Another favorite place we enjoyed exploring in Ireland was County Clare, and specifically the Burren – an exceptionally interesting landscape. The word Burren is derived from an Irish word meaning “rocky place,” which it definitely is. 

We visited the Burren National Park and took a guided tour that explained the geological formations, flora and fauna. Our guides were terrific, and we learned a lot! The Burren may look like a barren moonscape, but the limestone is a unique ecosystem supporting species from different millennium and regions that have adapted over the past 10,000 years. The greatest diversity of plants in Ireland can be found here. You can find Mediterranean and Arctic wildflowers blooming side by side. Without the guides we would have missed so many interesting things. 

We even saw the location of a “turlock,” which is a disappearing lake (and apparently an Irish first name). During the rainy season, the shallow water table rises forming a lake, but in the dryer, summer season, the water table is low enough that there is no water. Since the true rainy season had not started, we were able to walk through an area that would soon be covered with water again.

Here are a few photos of the Burren, which is part of the European Geoparks Network:

The Burren area is also home to many prehistoric sites, including Poulnabrone Dolmen, a large portal tomb dating to the Neolithic period, probably between 4200 BC and 2900 BC. It is one of 172 dolmens found in Ireland.

Finally, the Burren is where some of Ireland’s most fascinating artifacts have been found. In 1930 a farmer found the Gleninsheen Collar, a gold necklace from the Bronze age, while hunting with his dog. We saw this piece in Dublin at the National Archaeology Museum. It was found in a rock cleft in the limestone.

We enjoyed County Clare and its small villages. We stayed in a cute bed and breakfast. Imagine our surprise when we ran into the Dutch family that had been part of our cycling tour in Kilkenny staying at the same place!

Never a dull moment,

Shana & Jeff