On the central western coast of Ireland is a land of prehistoric beauty. It's a rugged place, characterized by slabs of limestone scored with swirling testaments to millennia of glacial activity and erosion. At first glance, it's wild and stark, but this unique landscape is anything but barren. It teems with plant and animal life, and harbors the ghosts of human habitation that belie its current relative isolation. Physical scientists of every stripe -- geologists, botanists, zoologists, anthropologists -- scour the 200 square miles known as "The Burren" to unlock its secrets.
Cliffs Of Moher The Cliffs of Moher, jutting some 700 nearly vertical feet over the Atlantic Ocean and stretching for five miles of scenic beauty just off a major highway, are one of Ireland's premiere attractions. And, indeed, they merit a visit. But they are merely a gatekeeper for The Burren, that land of magic and mystery, or "land of the fertile rock."
The cliffs are easily accessible for most travelers visiting the central Atlantic coast. They are an hour or so northwest of Limerick/Shannon, and just over half an hour from Ennis. The drive from Galway is about an hour and a half, but includes many scenic treasures en route.
Human Habitation, Agriculture Human habitation of The Burren has occurred for millennia. Approximately 75 recognizable "wedge tombs" are scattered throughout the region in various states of preservation. These tombs are thought to date to Neolithic times, some 6,000 years ago. Hundreds of ring forts are also located here, as well as tower foundations, church sites, and a variety of gravesite structures.
Given the rough and rocky appearance of the surface of The Burren today, it's hard to believe that the area was, and is, steeped in agricultural activity. In centuries past, intensive agricultural practices, including cultivation of the soils and overgrazing by livestock, contributed to the depletion of the soils that once covered the rocky "moonscape" of today. Yet the area is still utilized, with an ever-intensifying attention to sustainability, by overwintering stock.
Poulnabrone ("Poll na Bron" in the Gaelic form), or "portal tomb," at the Burren in County Clare is one of the world's best-known and most visited dolmens. It is estimated to be 4,500 years old, which places it at the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of Ireland's Bronze Age.
A short walk from the parking area takes you through a landscape of swirling patterns etched in the exposed limestone, where you can glimpse the flora and unique characteristics of the greater Burren.
The Burren is located in County Clare. The city of Ennis lies to the southeast, and the metropolis of Galway is just to the north. Within or adjacent to the Burren, the towns of Ennistymon, Ballyvaughn, Lisdoonvarna,and Kinvarra are among those well accustomed to accommodating tourists.
Sally O'Neal is an Irish lass (by heritage) who lives in the Pacific Northwestern United States. She visited Ireland, including the Cliffs of Moher and the Poulnabrone Tomb on The Burren in May of 2009.