75-633: Burren can refer to: The Burren , an area dominated by karst landscape, in County Clare, Ireland Burren National Park , the national park in County Clare, Ireland Burren (barony) , an historical administrative division of County Clare, Ireland Burren (townland) , a townland in County Cavan, Ireland Burren, County Down , a village in Northern Ireland Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark ,
150-652: A designated area of geological interest in County Clare, Ireland Burren College of Art , an art college in Ballyvaughan, County Clare, Ireland Burren Way , an official long-distance walking trail across the Burren Burrén and Burrena , twin hills in Aragon, Spain See also [ edit ] Buran (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
225-687: A distinct group at that point is uncertain, as they and their neighbours Corcu Baiscind may have been assimilated into or conquered by the Déisi Tuisceart of eastern Clare, who won a major battle against the Corco Modhruadh in 744. By the 9th century, the Corco Modhruadh had been driven into the Burren uplands. The Burren area is notable for the presence of several potential or likely "early" (i.e. pre-12th-century) ecclesiastical or monastic sites. These include Kilfenora, Kilnaboy, Temple Cronan and
300-491: A distinct identity within the county, though its boundaries are unclear, and it may account for as much as one third, or as little as 20%, of the county. The county includes a number of inhabited islands, such as the Aran Islands ( Irish : Oileáin Árann ) and Inishbofin ( Irish : Inis Bó Fine ). With the arrival of Christianity many monasteries were built in the county. Monasteries kept written records of events in
375-515: A few bronze horse bridles discovered near Corofin and at Ballyalla ( Kilshanny ). In the Iron Age and early Medieval times, the region was controlled by a family or tribe known as the Corco Modhruadh , meaning "seed" or "people of Modhruadh". They were one of dozens of minor tribes in Ireland at that time, which occupied a discrete area ( tuath ) and were joined by a common bloodline or origin myths. By
450-517: A regional hiatus in large construction projects during the 13th and most of the 14th century. For a long-time the Anglo-Norman incursions into Ireland had little direct impact on the region. As late as at the Battle of Dysert O'Dea in 1318 some of the local clans allied to defeat a Norman army led by Richard de Clare . The people and their rulers thus continued to live in fortified houses, often inside
525-501: A small part of the Burren and is the smallest of the eight National Parks in Ireland, while the adjacent territory, including the Cliffs of Moher , is included in the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark . While the name is generally applied to the limestone uplands of northwestern Clare, and adjacent lowlands, and generally excludes the area of Clare shales to the southwest, the exact extent of
600-513: A temperate oceanic climate. Average air temperatures range from 15 °C (59 °F) in July to 4–6 °C (39–43 °F) in January, while the soil temperature does not usually drop below 6 °C (as an exception, in late 2010, there was a prolonged period of snow). Since grass will grow once the temperature rises above 6 °C, this means that The Burren (like the neighbouring Aran Islands) has one of
675-460: A thickness of up to 330 metres (1,080 ft) in north Clare. These top layers protected the underlying limestone from erosion for millions of years before being largely stripped away by glaciers, except in the south west, where they still extend from Doolin to Slieve Elva, Lisdoonvarna, Kilfenora and to the western shore of Lake Inchiquin. One "island" of shale is the hill Poulacapple, southwest of Ballyvaughan, where an upland moor has formed on top of
750-531: Is a county in Ireland . It is in the Northern and Western Region , taking up the south of the province of Connacht . The county population was 276,451 at the 2022 census. There are several Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county. The traditional county includes the city of Galway , but the city and county are separate local government areas, administered by the local authorities of Galway City Council in
825-508: Is a karst / glaciokarst landscape centred in County Clare , on the west coast of Ireland . It measures around 530 square kilometres (200 sq mi), within the circle made by the villages of Lisdoonvarna , Corofin , Gort and Kinvara . The area includes such natural features as Mullaghmore hill and Ailladie cliffs, and historic monuments such as Poulnabrone dolmen and Caherconnell Stone Fort . The Burren National Park covers
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#1732845566948900-413: Is a number of medical device companies in the area, including Medtronic (with approximately 1,800 employees) and Boston Scientific (2,800 employees). Gaelic games are the most popular sport in the county. Galway had traditional regions in which Gaelic football or hurling is played. For example, in south and eastern County Galway, in places such as Portumna , Gort , Clarinbridge and Athenry , hurling
975-443: Is managed through extensive low input farming and active thinning of high density stands. Of the more than 30 species of butterflies and moths found in Ireland only two are not present in the Burren. Notable insects present in the Burren include the butterflies the pearl-bordered fritillary ( Boloria euphrosyne ), brown hairstreak ( Thecla betulae ), marsh fritillary ( Euphydryas aurinia ) and wood white ( Leptidea sinapis );
1050-698: Is one of the main breeding areas in Ireland of the European pine marten . Also present are badgers, foxes and stoats. The hillsides of the Burren also host herds of feral goats. All seven species of bats present in Ireland can be found in The Burren. Otters live along the coast, as do grey seals . A wide range of bird species are also found in the Burren, including crows and ravens , peregrine falcons , kestrels and various gulls. Archaeological evidence from cave finds of butchered bones have been radiocarbon dated to 33,000 years ago, showing evidence of hunters during
1125-620: Is part of the Midlands–North-West constituency for European elections . County Galway is home to Na Beanna Beola ( Twelve Bens ) mountain range, Na Sléibhte Mhám Toirc (the Maum Turk mountains), and the low mountains of Sliabh Echtghe (Slieve Aughty). The highest point in the county is one of the Twelve Bens, Benbaun, at 729m. County Galway is partly home to a number of Ireland's largest lakes including Lough Corrib (the largest lake in
1200-506: Is the Carran depression, more than two miles long, up to a mile wide and over 200 feet deep. This is where the pre-glacial rivers of the area first eroded away the upper layers and started to dissolve the exposed limestone. Some of the smaller ones were created when caves underneath collapsed (one example of this is the Glen of Clab). Glaciers also deposited numerous granite and limestone erratics on
1275-569: Is the dominant sport with successful teams at county and national level. Most of the rest of the county is considered to be footballing territory, with most of the county players being from the Tuam area, Oughterard , Moycullen or parts of Galway city . Galway United FC compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division and plays home games in Eamonn Deacy Park . Connacht Rugby , which competes in
1350-729: Is the largest town in the region. Galway City is also home to Ireland's only Irish-language theatre, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe . There is a strong Irish-language media presence in this area too, which boasts the radio station Raidió na Gaeltachta and Foinse newspaper in Carraroe and national TV station TG4 in Baile na hAbhann . The Aran Islands are also part of the Galway Gaeltacht. According to Census 2016, 84,249 people in County Galway claimed they could speak Irish. According to Census 2011,
1425-579: Is uncertain, but after the decline of the Eóganacht Árann the local Corco Modhruadh likely fell under the control of the Uí Fiachrach Aidhne , a tribe from what is now southern Galway, who prospered in the 7th century. The local tribes were then probably subjects of the Eóganacht Locha Léin until their influence declined in the early 9th century. Whether the Corco Modhruadh still existed as
1500-448: The Dál gCais expanded into the region, against the resistance of the incumbent Uí Lochlainn and O'Conor families. The later regionally dominant O'Brien dynasty traced its origins to them. Evidence of Viking activity in the region is scant. They settled at Limerick, but in the Burren only a few artifacts of Scandinavian design have been found, centred mostly on Cahercommaun, which apparently
1575-423: The Corco Modhruadh /Corcomroe territory was made into the newly created Diocese of Kilfenora , of 13 parishes, and the church at Kilfenora became a cathedral. At some point around the 12th century, the territory of "Corcomroe" was divided in two for administrative purposes: Corco Modhruadh Iartharach ("Western Corcomroe") and Corco Modhruadh Oirthearach ("Eastern Corcomroe"), also known as Boireann which in
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#17328455669481650-467: The Neolithic , c. 4000 BC, settlers had clearly arrived and began changing the landscape through deforestation, likely by overgrazing and burning, and the building of stone walls. These people also constructed Megalithic sites like the portal tomb known as Poulnabrone dolmen and the court tombs at Teergonean (near Doolin) and Ballyganner (near Noughaval ). Overall, there are around 70 megalithic tombs in
1725-479: The Poulawack Cairn , also date from this period. The economy at that time was likely based on pastoral farming in fairly small groups. As is still done today, the cattle were moved in a reverse of the usual seasonal pattern: cattle are moved to the uplands in the winter, allowing year round grazing. Evidence of Beaker pottery was found on Roughan Hill, but in general few signs of the actual settlements of
1800-703: The United Rugby Championship , is based in the Sportsgrounds in Galway city . The two main amateur rugby clubs in the county are Galway Corinthians RFC and Galwegians RFC which compete in the All-Ireland League . County Galway is home to multiple basketball clubs, including Super League teams University of Galway Maree and Moycullen Basketball Club . Athletics is also a very popular sport in Galway,
1875-414: The gentians and avens peaking (but orchid species blooming later). During counter-guerrilla operations in The Burren in 1651–52, Edmund Ludlow stated, " (Burren) is a country where there is not enough water to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury him...... and yet their cattle are very fat; for the grass growing in turfs of earth, of two or three foot square, that lie between
1950-622: The Burren area, more than half of all of these structures found in Clare. The most numerous type of prehistoric structure (apart from stone walls) in The Burren is the late-Neolithic/early- Bronze Age wedge tomb , mostly dated to the period 2500 to 2000 BC. It accounts for around 90% of the region's megalithic tombs. Many examples of these are found on Roughan Hill near Kilnaboy , including those at Parknabinnia and Creevagh . Others are located at Gleninsheen and Berneens (Rathborney) and Poulaphuca (Carran). Large stone cairns on many hills, such as
2025-419: The Burren varies between around 250 square kilometres (97 sq mi) (the core area of exposed limestone), through 360 square kilometres (140 sq mi) (taking in all limestone landscapes) and 560 square kilometers (including the about 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi) of downland), depending on the approach taken. Roughly 60% of the uplands show exposed limestone pavement. The Burren has
2100-473: The Burren, including unique forms such as Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. okellyi . The grikes (crevices in the limestone) provide moist shelter, supporting a wide range of plants including dwarf shrubs. Where the surface of the limestone pavement is shattered into gravel many of the hardier Arctic or alpine plants can be found, while when the limestone pavement is covered by a thin layer of soil patches of grass are seen, interspersed with herbaceous plants. Among
2175-447: The Burren. In another definition, the agriculture focused "Burren Programme" defines the region as extending well into the Gort plain, encompassing inter alia Coole Park and the turloughs around it, while to the south it would extend to Ruan and Crusheen , and in the southwest to the edge of Doolin , as well as the routine Lisdoonvarna, Kilfenora and Corofin. Thus the stated size of
2250-402: The Galway city and county Gaeltacht has a population of 48,907, of which 30,978 said they could speak Irish; 23,788 classed themselves as native Irish speakers, while 7,190 speak Irish daily only within the classroom. There are 3,006 attending the ten Gaelscoil (Irish language primary schools) and three Gaelcholáiste (Irish language secondary schools) outside the Galway Gaeltacht. According to
2325-651: The Ice Age. Pollen analysis indicates that in the Mesolithic period of 8000 to 7000 BC The Burren looked completely different from today, with most of the uplands covered in a mixture of deciduous, pine and yew trees. No clear evidence of Mesolithic settlements or camp sites in the area has yet been discovered. At the limits of the region, near Lake Inchiquin and at the so-called "Doolin Axe Factory", stone artifacts have been discovered that may be Mesolithic in origin. However, by
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2400-553: The Irish Census 2016, there are 9,445 people in the county who identify themselves as being daily Irish speakers outside the education system. Galway City Council and Galway County Council are the local authorities for the respective local government areas. The local government area of County Galway includes some suburbs of the city not within the city area. Each local authority is responsible for certain local services such as sanitation , planning and development , libraries ,
2475-475: The Mediterranean Adiantum capillus-veneris . The area is notable for the unusually close vicinity of both plants that hate lime and those that do well on it. Acid-loving plants such as Calluna grow well on patches of acidic peat that effectively isolates them from the underlying basic limestone. Woody plant encroachment by Blackthorn and Hazel is a common phenomenon in the Burren. It
2550-559: The Neolithic people have been found. This may be due to the fact that their structures were lightly built (from wood or other non-permanent materials). During the Bronze Age, locals also built many Fulachtai fiadh , remains of more than 300 survive in the region. Their exact function is still debated, but they probably served as places where water was heated by fire, either for cooking, brewing or bathing purposes. However, in contrast to
2625-664: The Republic of Ireland), Lough Derg and Lough Mask . The county is also home to a large number of smaller lakes, many of which are in the Connemara region. These include Lough Anaserd , Ardderry Lough , Aughrusbeg Lough , Ballycuirke Lough , Ballynahinch Lake , Lough Bofin , Lough Cutra , Derryclare Lough , Lough Fee , Glendollagh Lough , Lough Glenicmurrin , Lough Inagh , Kylemore Lough , Lettercraffroe Lough , Maumeen Lough , Lough Nafooey , Lough Rea , Ross Lake and Lough Shindilla . The location of County Galway, situated on
2700-518: The area and of its people. These were followed by a number of law-tracts, genealogies, annals and miscellaneous accounts. Extant manuscripts containing references to Galway include: Nearly 20% of the population of County Galway live in areas classed as Gaeltachts (Irish-speaking districts). County Galway is home to the largest Gaeltacht Irish-speaking region in Ireland. There are over 48,000 people living within this region, which extends from Galway city westwards through Connemara . The region consists of
2775-455: The area is not clearly defined, and geologically it does extend into County Galway to both the north and northeast (see Geology below). The southeastern pocket of County Galway around Kinvara is usually included, and is the base for many Burren organisations. The Burren is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and by Galway Bay , with the Aran Islands representing a geological extension of
2850-505: The cashels, mostly retaining their Gaelic culture . One example of this are the Brehon law schools of the O'Davorans at Cahermacnaghten or the MacClancys at Doolin. Only in the 15th and 16th centuries did the tower houses as exemplified today by places like Newtown Castle , Shanmuckinish Castle , Doonagore Castle or Ballinalacken Castle become widespread. Norman-type castles, such as
2925-483: The characteristic drumlins (most of them on top of the shale and sandstone to the south). The Caher Valley was almost choked up by deposited sand and rocks and these also piled up against the western slopes of Slieve Elva. It was this protective layer of sediment that has made surface streams locally possible once more. Today, the uplands' highest point is on the hill Slieve Elva, whose shale cover rises up to 345 metres (1,132 ft) above sea level. In addition to
3000-463: The churches of Oughtmama. A broader definition of The Burren would also include Dysert O'Dea Monastery near Corofin and Kilmacduagh. The large number of extant cashels, almost 500 of which have been identified in The Burren (out of around 45,000 in Ireland), also indicates the presence of a sizeable (early) medieval population that supported and used these churches. At the end of the first millennium,
3075-477: The collection of motor taxation , local roads and social housing . Under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 , County Galway was divided into the urban districts of Ballinasloe and Galway , and the rural districts of Ballinasloe No. 1, Clifden, Galway, Glennamaddy, Gort, Loughrea, Mount Bellew, Oughterard, Portumna, and Tuam. Loughrea , within the rural district of Loughrea, and Tuam , within
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3150-595: The end of the Bronze Age, the uplands were largely depopulated. Nevertheless, like the Mooghaun North Hoard found near Newmarket-on-Fergus, the discovery of a golden Bronze Age gorget in Gleninsheen townland indicates the (at least temporary) local presence of a late Bronze Age society that was rich, mobile and well-connected via trade networks with other regions. Like in many places of Ireland, datable Iron Age sites are rare in The Burren. This may be due to
3225-513: The family tomb near the altar of Corcomroe Abbey. Their kinsmen, the O'Conor (Ó Conchubhair), clan ruled Corco Modhruadh Iartharach from Dough Castle near Liscannor . The villages and towns found within the medieval territory of Boireann include Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, New Quay (Newquay) / Burrin (Burren), Noughaval , Bealaclugga (Bellharbour), Carron and Fanore / Craggagh. County Galway County Galway ( / ˈ ɡ ɔː l w eɪ / GAWL -way ; Irish : Contae na Gaillimhe )
3300-1020: The flowers recorded from the Burren is the spring gentian , an alpine plant with bright blue flowers that are used as a symbol for the area by the national tourist board, Failte Ireland . The Irish orchid ( Neotinea maculata and 21 other species of orchids ) and bloody cranesbill ( Geranium sanguineum ) also occur. Other notable flowers are Anacamptis pyramidalis , Platanthera chlorantha , Ophrys insectifera Euphrasia salisburgensis , Lathyrus linifolius , Carlina vulgaris , Centaurium erythraea , Succisa pratensis , Primula veris , Filipendula vulgaris , Parnassia palustris , Campanula rotundifolia , Helianthemum oelandicum , Polygala vulgaris , Saxifraga hypnoides , Potentilla fruticosa , Antennaria dioeca , Primula vulgaris , Hypericum androsaemum , Asperula cynanchica , Rhinanthus minor , Blackstonia perfoliata and Dryas octopetala . Another prominent presence in limestone grikes are around 24 species of fern, such as
3375-573: The following Irish-speaking areas: Galway City Gaeltacht (parts of the city), Gaeltacht Cois Fharraige , Conamara Theas , Aran Islands , and Duiche Sheoigheach (a part of the northern Galway region known as "Joyce Country" and Maam Valley ). All schools within the Gaeltacht use the Irish language for classroom instruction. There is also a third-level constituent college of NUIG called Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in Carraroe and Carna . Clifden
3450-444: The formation of subterranean drainage. This has formed numerous cave systems of which more than 50 kilometres have been mapped. The most accessible of these is Aillwee Cave . Due to the processes mentioned, there are very few permanent surface rivers in the region. The Caher, flowing into the sea at Fanore , is one of the most stable. Some of the large valleys, mostly running south to north, that are still visible today are in fact
3525-528: The impermeable shale layers. The local geological succession comprises the following formations some of which are subdivided into various members . The youngest rocks are at the start of the list, the oldest at the bottom. The first three listed are of Namurian age and are a mix of mudstones, sandstones and siltstones, the remainder are Visean age limestones. Glaciation during the late Quaternary period (beginning c. one million years ago) facilitated greater denudation. Glaciers expanded and retreated over
3600-451: The last glacial period. So any surface karstification now seen dates from approximately 10,000 years ago and the Burren karst is thus very recent in geological terms. Solutional processes have widened and deepened the grikes of the limestone pavement . Pre-existing lines of weakness in the rock (vertical joints) contribute to the formation of extensive fissures separated by clints (flat pavement like slabs). The rock karstification facilitates
3675-671: The late 16th century became the English administrative Baronies of Corcomroe and Burren , respectively. The end of the Medieval period was a difficult era for people in the area. Like much of Europe, the region suffered from the Great Famine (1315-7) and the Black Death . In addition, infighting between the Gaelic lords contributed to a socio-economic decline of the region. This was also reflected in
3750-436: The limestone hills that make up most of The Burren. According to one definition, the Burren extends south to a line from the coastal resort of Lahinch to Corofin and is delimited in the east by a line roughly from Kinvara to Kilmacduagh monastery , near Gort . Note that taken literally, this would includes places like the town of Ennistymon and the Cliffs of Moher , which would more commonly be considered as neighbouring
3825-593: The limestone pavement, major landscape types, providing the habitats for the flora and fauna, include limestone heath, dry calcareous grasslands, calcareous (calcifying or petrifying) springs, the intermittent water bodies called turloughs , bogs, Cladium fens, lakes, wet grasslands, scrub and light woodland, and neutral, and farm-improved, grasslands. The Burren is renowned for its remarkable assemblage of plants and animals, and over 70% of Ireland's species of flowers are found there. The region supports Arctic–alpine and Mediterranean Basin plants side-by-side, due to
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#17328455669483900-399: The longest growing seasons in Ireland or Britain, and supports diverse and rich plant growth. The area has around 1,525 millimetres (60.0 in) of annual rainfall (more than twice the amount observed in eastern Ireland), with an average level of over 160 millimetres (6.3 in) monthly from October to January Late May is the sunniest time, and also a good time to view flowers, with
3975-412: The moths, the Burren green ( Calamia tridens , which is only present in Ireland in this area), Irish annulet ( Gnophos dumetata ) and transparent burnet ( Zygaena purpuralis ); the hoverfly Doros profuges and the water-beetle Ochthebius nilssoni . This last species is known from just five sites in the world, its type locality in northern Sweden and four marl lakes in The Burren. The Burren
4050-465: The one built at Quin , were absent in the Burren. T.J. Westropp counted the remains of around 70 tower houses in the Baronies of Inchiquin, Corcomroe and Burren, with 21 of them located in the latter. Only around half of those 21 survive to any height in the 21st century. The distribution of the tower houses indicates that they were built close to the barony borders, which also represented the boundaries of
4125-516: The pavements. The former were carried south across Galway Bay by the second-to-last glaciation. Granite boulders can be found mostly in the north of the Burren. The final ice cover came from the northeast and mostly deposited limestone erratics. On Slieve Elva these are visible today at elevations of up to 300 metres (980 ft) mabove sea level. The characteristic terracing of the hills occurred when vertical joints weathered and large blocks of limestone fell off and were further eroded away. Towards
4200-469: The pre-Carboniferous rocks is seen at the surface in the area. The limestones, which date from the Visean stage of the early Carboniferous, formed as sediments in a tropical sea approximately 325 million years ago. The strata contain fossil corals , crinoids , sea urchins and ammonites . This bed of limestone is up to 800 metres thick. In the north and west it lies on a shelf of Galway granite which supported
4275-460: The quantity of archaeological evidence found, the population of The Burren likely declined noticeably between the late Neolithic and the end of the Bronze Age. This was likely largely due to a shift in the climate, possibly related to the volcanic eruption known as " Hekla 4 ". Around the end of the 3rd millennium BC temperatures dropped and the climate became wetter. Heavy rainfall combined with previous clearing activity to cause serious soil erosion in
4350-583: The region several times. Of the last two periods the first was the more pronounced, covering the whole of the Burren. The last advance of the ice cover was more limited, affecting only the eastern Burren. The result is that the Burren is one of the finest examples of glacio-karst landscape in the world. The effects of the last glacial period (the Midlandian) are most in evidence, with the Burren overrun by ice during this glaciation. The impact of earlier karstification (solutional erosion) has been eliminated by
4425-477: The remains of pre-glacial river valleys. The rivers disappeared from the surface when the upper layers of stone had been stripped away. Another characteristic feature of the Burren is closed roughly circular depressions with no surface outlets for water (called poljes ). Around 100 of these exist, mostly in the eastern Burren. The most notable are the valleys of Kilcorney, Poulawilan, Caherconnel and Carran, generally stretching from northeast to southwest. The largest
4500-432: The rocks, which are of limestone, is very sweet and nourishing. " The area is formed from a thick succession of sedimentary rocks , largely limestones but also including sandstones , mudstones and siltstones . All of the solid rocks exposed at the surface are of Carboniferous age though they are underlain at depth by Old Red Sandstone of Devonian age which in turn overlies rocks of Lower Palaeozoic age. None of
4575-418: The rural district of Tuam, had town commissioners . The rural districts were abolished in 1925. In 1937, the urban district of Galway became the borough of Galway, remaining part of County Galway. In 1986, the borough of Galway became the county borough of Galway and ceased to part of County Galway. In 2002, all county boroughs were redefined as cities. In 2002, the urban district of Ballinasloe and
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#17328455669484650-485: The territories controlled by clans or families (see below). 11 of the 21 tower houses in the Barony of Burren lie within 1 km of its borders. The O'Loughlin (Ó Lochlainn) clan ruled Boireann down to the mid-17th century from their chief residence at Gregans Castle (the tower house, not the house of the same name). The chief of the family was known in later times as the 'Prince of Burren' and clan members were buried in
4725-411: The time Christianity arrived locally, their territory had shrunk somewhat, encompassing what later became the Baronies of Burren and Corcomroe as well as some parts of Inchiquin barony (see below). During the 5th and 6th centuries, the region appears to have been ruled from the Aran Islands by the Eóganacht Árann , a minor branch of the Eóganacht dynasty of Munster . The history of these years
4800-583: The title Burren . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Burren&oldid=1058313036 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages The Burren The Burren ( / ˈ b ʌr ə n / BURR -ən ; Irish : Boirinn , meaning 'rocky district')
4875-505: The town commissioners of Loughrea and Tuam became town councils . All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014. As part of the Northern and Western Region , Galway County Council has three representatives and Galway City Council has two representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly. The county is part of three Dáil constituencies : Galway East (3 seats), Galway West (5 seats) and Roscommon–Galway (5 seats). It
4950-433: The unusual environment. The region supports many rare Irish species, some of which are only found in this area. Others occur in similar karst areas in western Ireland. Notable plants include Festuca indigesta seen in 1949 and Arenaria norvegica identified only once, in 1961. Two of the 24 types of Taraxacum found here are "practically unique to the Burren". 23 of the 28 types of orchids found in Ireland grow in
5025-492: The uplands. Evidence suggests that much of the soil cover over the limestone karst was in fact removed during the Middle and Late Bronze Age. This reduction in the area of fertile land put pressure on population numbers and probably increased conflicts over scarce resources. Building of new stone walls largely came to an end – there is a gap in documented building between the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age and early Christian periods. By
5100-555: The upper layers, preventing shifts like those that created the "twisted" hills Knockanes and Mullaghmore. The limestone also extends below Galway Bay out to the Aran Islands and to the east into the Gort plain. Later in the Carboniferous (c. 318 million years ago), the limestone was covered by darker sand and mud that later turned into shale (the lower "Clare Shales") and sandstone (the upper "Millstone Grit"). These layers reached
5175-552: The urban area and Galway County Council in the rest of the county. The first inhabitants in the Galway area arrived around the 5th millennium BC. Shell middens indicate the existence of people as early as 5000 BC. The county originally comprised several kingdoms and territories which predate the formation of the county. These kingdoms included Aidhne , Uí Maine , Maigh Seóla , Conmhaícne Mara , Soghain and Máenmaige . County Galway became an official entity around 1569 AD. The region known as Connemara retains
5250-522: The use of dwellings that did not leave durable traces (wooden buildings or even tents). Some of the extant ráths, cashels or cahers may actually have Iron Age origins. However, few have been excavated and those that have been the subject of research, like Cahercommaun , Caherconnel , Cahermore or Ballyallaban , are thought to be early Medieval or later in origin. The large enigmatic enclosure of Turlough Hill (see Oughtmama ) may be Iron Age or earlier. Definite regional findings from this era are limited to
5325-399: The very end of the Ice Age the glaciers ended for a time at Fanore. At that time, Slieve Elva and Knockauns hill alone rose above the surrounding ice fields. The valleys facing Galway Bay had been widened considerably by glacial action, first when the ice moved south from Connemara and then when meltwater sought a runoff. When the ice finally retreated it also left moraines in valley bottoms and
5400-526: The west coast of Ireland, allows it to be directly influenced by the Gulf Stream . Temperature extremes are rare and short lived, though inland areas, particularly east of the Corrib, can boast some of the highest recorded temperatures of the summer in the island of Ireland (sometimes exceeding 30 °C); though these temperatures only occur when land warmed east winds sweep the area; the opposite effect can occur in
5475-500: The west coast of the county can receive up to 1900mm and beyond. Extreme weather such as blizzards, thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail, though rare, can and do occur, particularly when air masses of continental origin are undercut by more humid and unstable Atlantic flows. According to numbers published by Galway Chamber of Commerce in early 2019, there were then 196 information and communications technology (ICT) organisations in Galway, including IBM, SAP, Oracle and Cisco. There
5550-527: The winter. Overall, however, Galway is influenced mainly by Atlantic airstreams which bring ample rainfall in between the fleeting sunshine. Rainfall occurs in every month of the year, though the late autumn and winter months can be particularly wet as Atlantic cyclonic activity increases and passes over and around the area, and which is why Galway tends to bear the brunt of severe windstorms that can occur between August and March. The county on average receives about 1300mm of rainfall annually, though some areas along
5625-403: Was a major producer of wool at the time. A Viking arrowhead was found at the ringfort and a Viking hollow-bead necklace (likely dating from 820 to 850 AD) was discovered in nearby Glencurran Cave. Either at the end of the 12th or early in the 13th century, Cistercian monks came to the area and established Sancta Maria de Petra Fertili , now known as Corcomroe Abbey . In the 12th century,
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