The Burren

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Burren landscape

Grikes and clints run along the limestone pavement

The Burren (from Irish: Boireann, meaning great rock Boirinn is the modern Irish form used by the Ordnance Survey as it is correct gramatical form of the word) 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 (i.e. "the" Burren) has only been added to the name possibly by academics in the last few decades as it has always been traditionally called Boireann 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. According to The Parliamentary Gazeteer of 1845, as cited on the Clare County Library website, the name is derived from a corruption of three Gaelic words—Cor (district), Cam (quarrel), and Ruadh (red)—with the combined meaning of "district of the red quarrel". The territory was coextensive with the diocese of Kilfenora. The barony of Burren (now obsolete) established in the late 1500s 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 1100s 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 number of 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.

For potholers, there are a number of charted caves in the area. Doolin is a popular 'base camp' for cavers, and is home to one of the two main cave rescue stores of the Irish Cave Rescue Organisation.

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