The Burren

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Burren (from Irish: Boireann, meaning - great rock) is a unique karst landscape in northwest County Clare, Ireland. The limestone area measures 300 square kilometres and is roughly enclosed within the circle comprised by the villages Ballyvaughan, Kinvarra, Gort, Corrofin, Kilfenora, Lisdoonvarna and the Black Head lighthouse. The definitive article (ie "The" Burren) has only been added to the name by academics in the last few decades as it has always been traditionally called Boireann or Boirinn in Irish and Burren in English.

The ancient territory of Burren was also called Corco Modhruadh Oirthearach ("eastern Corcomroe") which is the north-eastern portion of the territory / tuath of Corco Modhruadh ("race/tribe of Mo Dhruadh" - the race of my druid^{[citation needed]}) as the were traditionally the people who supplied the hereditary druid to the King of Munster. The territory was coextensive with the diocese of Kilfenora. The barony of Burren (now obsolete) established in the late 1500's is coextensive with the territory of Burren. The south-western half of Corco Modhruadh was called Corco Modhruadh Iartharach ("western Corcomroe") and is coextensive with the barony of Corcomroe (now obsolete). In the annals Burren was often called Burren in Corcomroe. Around the 1100's the Corco Modhruadh split into two main clans The O Loughlen / Ó Lochlainn clan became the rulers of Burren while the O Connor / Ó Conchubhair clan became the rulers of western Corcomroe. The Corco Modhruadh also inhabited the Aran Islands in the early medieval period. A branch of the Eoghanachta rulers of Munster based on the Aran Islands ruled the territory of the Corco Modhruadh in the early medieval period. Other clans of the Corco Modhruadh include (O) Davoren / Ó Duibhdábhoireann, (Mac) Nestor / Mac Girr an Adhastair, (O) Troy, and (O) Melodey.

The rolling hills of Burren are composed of limestone pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as grikes, leaving isolated rocks called clints. The region supports both Mediterranean and Alpine plants side-by-side, due to the unusual environment. The blue flower of the Spring Gentian, an Alpine plant, is used as a symbol for the area by the tourist board.

Burren is rich with archeological sites. There are many megalithic tombs in the area, portal dolmens, a celtic high cross in the village of Kilfenora and a few ring forts, among them the triple ring fort Cahercommaun on the edge of an inland cliff and the exceptionally well preserved Caherconnell Stone Fort.

Burren's many limestone cliffs, particularly the sea-cliffs at Ailladie, near Fanore, are popular with rock-climbers.

Corcomroe Abbey is one of the area's scenic attractions.

Poulnabrone dolmen	Caherconnell Stone Fort near the Dolmen.	Cows graze on the limestone-strewn Burren hills.	Grikes and clints run along the limestone pavement.
Burren landscape