The Burren

The World Famous Burren is on your doorstep, vist Poulnabrone Dolmen, Cahercomman Ring Fort, Templecronan Church, Ailwee Caves any many more atiquities.

The Burren is an unspoilt part of Ireland. Burren means a place of rock. Here in the Burren the bare exposed limstone which is up to 780 metres in thickness, covers an area of 250 kilometers, great slabs of rock which are almost as flat and undisturbed as they were when they were formed in the war, shallow seas of the Carboniferous ocean 340 million years ago.

The Burren does not mean barren, man has settled here since stone age times. Evidence of his habitiations and tombs are all around you: massive dolmens and wedge tombs, about 120 are know in the Burren National Park; and about 500 stone forts called cahers, the homesteads of farmers of long ago, survive in various stages of preservations. Churches and castles indicate later periods of settlement. The most important and interesting of these are well documented. Kilfenora, Templecronan and Corcomroe are outstanding examples of church ruins. Gleninagh, Leamenaneh and Doonagore are among the many castles, all with their own story, which will fascinate you.

Ludlow, a Cromwellian general is oft quoted as saying the following about the area there is not water enough to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him but in fact he qualifies his seemingly shallow observations by adding where land is so scarce that the inhabitants steal it from each other, and yet their cattle are very fat, for the grass growing in tufts of earth of two or three foot square that lie between the rocks which are of limestone is very sweet and nourishing.

A common sight on the uplands are the herds of wild goats. And you may also be lucky enough to spy the elusive Pine martin, here, too , in the Burrren, 26 of Ireland's 33 species of butterfly have been recorded, including its very own, the Burren Green

Many of the views around the burren are truly spectacular (with the help of Jim Robinsons map we hope you will get to view many of them. Why not walk along the GREEN ROAD, following the Burren Way from Ballyvaughan to Liscannor, savouring the delights at a leisurely pace. It is well signposted. There is a detailed brochure available in the houses.

BURREN COUNTRY COTTAGES

Your Hosts: Brian & Margaret McGrath

Oaghty, Kilfenora, Co. Clare.

Telephone: 065 7088134 Intl. Telephone: 353 657088134

Email: burrencottages@gmail.com