THE BURREN
F.A.Q. - Enigmas - Further Reading - Maps
 Frequently Asked Questions
Where is it?
The Burren is in the North
of County Clare in the west of Ireland. It covers an area of over 350 square kilometers.
It is bounded in the north by Galway Bay, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south
by a line across the villages of Doolin and Kilfenora, and finally in the east by the Gort
lowlands.
What does the
name mean?
‘The Burren’ is
an anglicisation of the Gaelic term ‘An Bhoireann’ which means “a stony
place”.
Why is The
Burren one of the most precious terrains in the world ?
The Burren is of huge
international significance for three reasons - geological, botanical and archaeological.
 Geological : The limestone of
the Burren was formed approximately 360 million years ago. However, what is unusual is
that huge amounts of the stone have been exposed. The stripping action of the glaciers
during the last Ice Age and the intensive cultivation of the land by prehistoric farmers
subsequently have removed much of the top soil. The legacy is one of the most extensive
examples of exposed limestone in the world. This spellbinding scenery is a source of
enduring fascination to visitors to the area.
Botanical :
Rainwater penetrates lines of weakness in the limestone and eventually vertical
cracks in the rock (grikes) are formed. It is in these grikes that many of the
Burren’s wild flowers thrive. The Burren is one of Europe’s richest botanical
areas. It is home to 700 different plant species – three quarters of Ireland’s
native flora. Arctic, Alpine and Mediterranean plants grow in the thin soils in the
grikes. Nowhere else in Europe will one find such a floral diversity of plants
representing different climatic areas and habitats.
Archaeological :
Mankind has been heavily imprinting upon the Burren terrain ever since Neolithic man
arrived here approximately 6,000 years ago attracted by the prospect of all year round
grazing. In fact the Dingle Peninsula is the only other area in Ireland which can match
the Burren for its archaeological wealth.
That wealth includes
Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age wedge tombs and cooking sites, Iron Age hill forts, ring
forts, holy wells, early Christian churches, medieval abbeys, tower houses and not
least the thousands of kilometers of dry stone walls which brilliantly punctuate the
landscape.
Enigmas
 Some of the Burren
enigmas which are resolved during Heart of Burren walks:
- The population was up to 400 people per square kilometer less than 200 years ago in some parts of the region. The population
density of the Burren is now one of the lowest in Ireland. Why?
- The famous Burren wild goat herd is being
culled presently. Why is the culling causing such controversy?
- Why does The Burren region boast one of the densest concentrations of archaeological sites in the north west of Europe?
- Reverse transhumance is the practice of moving cattle to lowlands in summer and to highlands
in winter. The Burren is the only region in Europe where this practice takes place. Why?
- The region's floral diversity is of huge
international significance. Why do Arctic,
Mediterranean and Alpine plants grow together in
this low lying area in the north of Europe?
- The region is dotted with temporary/seasonal lakes (turloughs). Outside of the
West of Ireland there is only one such lake worldwide.
Why is this so?
- One of the architectural jewels of the Burren
is one of Ireland’s greatest inland cliff
forts. Why does it continue to be only a
minor visitor attraction?
- Why is the Irish government reluctant to
nominate the Burren as a candidate UNESCO World
Heritage Site ?
Further
Reading
The Book
of the Burren. Published by Tir Eolas, Kinvara, County Galway.
Essays by experts on inter alia the history, archaeology, geology, and botany of
the region. A comprehensive reference book.
 The Natural History of the The Burren by
Gordon Darcy. Immel Publishing Limited, London.
An accessible encyclopedia of the natural
history of the area by the much-respected author.
Wild
Plants of The Burren and the Aran Islands by Charles Nelson. Published
by The Collins Press Ltd, Cork.
A pocket guide to 120 of the wild flowers of The Burren with accompanying
high quality photographs.
Farming
and The Burren by Brendan Dunford. Published by Teagasc.
A superb study of the huge role of agriculture in the shaping of the landscape. A
tribute to the Burren farmers – the custodians of the region’s extraordinary
archaeological and botanical wealth.
Maps
The Burren
by Tim Robinson. Published by Folding Landscapes, Roundstone,
County Galway.
A minutely detailed two inch map of The Burren by the great cartographer and
author.
Discovery
Series Number 51. Published by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. Scale 1: 50
000
Detailed depiction of topographical features and walking routes.
Heart of Burren Walks
Caherblonick, Kilnaboy, County Clare, Ireland
Tel +353 65 682 77 07 - Mobile Tel +353 87 292 54 87
Email
info@heartofburrenwalks.com |