Where is it?

The Burren is in the North of County Clare in the west of Ireland. It covers an area of over 350 square kilometers. It is bounded in the north by Galway Bay, in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the south by a line across the villages of Doolin and Kilfenora, and finally in the east by the Gort lowlands.

What does the name mean?

‘The Burren’ is an anglicisation of the Gaelic term ‘An Bhoireann’ which means “a stony place”.

Why is The Burren one of the most precious terrains in Europe?

The Burren is of international significance for three reasons – geological, botanical and archaeological.

Geological : The limestone of the Burren was formed approximately 360 million years ago. However, what is unusual is that huge amounts of the stone have been exposed to the atmosphere over time. The stripping action of the glaciers during the last Ice Age and the unsustainable use of the land by prehistoric farmers have both caused the removal of much of the top soil. The legacy is the most extensive example of exposed limestone pavement in Europe. The rock is constantly being dissolved by rainwater thus creating magical features on the surface and in the underground.

Botanical : The Burren is one of Europe’s richest botanical regions. It boasts a unique Arctic/Alpine/Mediterranean mélange of wildflowers. Lime-loving plants can be seen growing within centimeters of lime-haters. Some montane flowers thrive at sea level. Native species grow in huge abundance. Renowned botanist Dr Charles Nelson has said that “you will not find a similar assembly of plants, representing different climatic zones and plants, growing together anywhere else in Europe”.

Archaeological : Mankind has been imprinting upon the Burren terrain ever since the Stone Age farmer arrived in the region approximately 6,000 years ago. In fact the Dingle Peninsula is the only other area in Ireland which can match the Burren for its archaeological wealth. That wealth includes great Stone Age and Bronze Age tombs, fulachta fiadh (outdoor cooking sites), Iron Age hill forts, holy wells, Early Christian ring forts and monastic sites, medieval abbeys and castles and not least the thousands of kilometers of dry stone walls which brilliantly punctuate the landscape.