We had found a pier on the River Shannon, where we spent the night. The next morning, we were surrounded by grey skies with no view so we decided it would be a good day to get some work done. The weather hadn’t improved much by the afternoon, but we drove north anyway, and stopped in Lahinch for a late lunch.
In the evening, we reached the Burren, a unique and fascinating karst landscape, where tiny wildflowers pierce through the limestone and mostly hazel scrub grow wherever there is enough soil.
The cracks on the surface of the limestone resemble paving stones. These cracks formed when two continents collided 300 million years ago. Rainfall has dissolved and widened the fractures. They now provide shelter for many plants and animals.
As early as 4,000 BC, settlers began shaping the landscape through deforestation and the construction of stone walls and megalithic tombs. Soil erosion and climate shifts led to population declines by the end of the Bronze Age.
23 of Ireland’s 27 native orchid species grow in the Burren
From our parking spot (53.0769, -9.15956), it was a pleasant walk to the magnificent Poulnabrone dolmen. En route, we spotted lots of flowers, particularly orchids, and even a smaller, hidden dolmen.
At least 33 individuals, both male and female, children and adults, were buried in the tomb chamber around 3000 BC. They were buried alongside a polished stone axe, a decorated bone pendant, stone beads, quartz crystals, weapons, and pottery.
We saw a castle tower, Newtown Castle, from the road and went to explore it. We had seen many similar towers along the coast in various states of preservation. This one was built in the 1500s as a defensive residence for a branch of the local O’Brien family, who lived in it for over 300 years. What makes it unusual is the square base of the circular tower. It had recently been renovated, including the addition of a new roof.
We headed to Black Head on the coast, to admire the Burren landscape further. The Burren was shaped by the movement of glaciers, which left behind a distinctive collection of boulders in this area.
Our next destination will be a monastery, nestled in the landscape of the Burren – more next!