71-484: The Inisheer Rocket Crew were a group of men trained in maritime rescue, on Inisheer , one of the Aran Islands , County Galway off the coast of Ireland. The MV Plassey was driven onto the rocks near Inisheer after heavy storms in 1960. Its crew of 11 men were trapped on the ship. The Rocket Crew rescued the entire crew from the stricken vessel using a breeches buoy . The breeches buoy had been in existence on
142-455: A burial site called Cnoc Raithní was discovered which dates back to 1500 BC. This is the earliest evidence of human settlement of the island. Saint Caomhán , the patron saint of Inisheer, according to some traditions, was the elder brother of Kevin of Glendalough . The ruins of Teampall Chaomháin in Inisheer cemetery have to be uncovered annually as the floor of it is well below the level of
213-687: 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
284-515: 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
355-510: 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 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
426-517: 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
497-460: 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
568-514: A visit to the island in the 1970s. Inis Oírr was discussed at length in the work of cultural anthropologist John Cowan Messenger under the name Inis Beag . The Burren The Burren ( / ˈ b ʌr ə n / BURR -ən ; Irish : Boirinn , meaning 'rocky district') 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
639-587: Is also found in the names Inishsirrer and Orior . According to Séamas Ó Murchú, the current official name, Inis Oírr , was brought into use by the Ordnance Survey Ireland . He says it may be a compromise between Inis Oirthir and the traditional local name Inis Thiar . The island is geologically an extension of The Burren . The terrain of the island is composed of limestone pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as "grikes", leaving isolated rocks called "clints". The limestones date from
710-579: Is captured in a pictorial display at the National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire . Inisheer Inisheer ( Irish : Inis Oírr [ˈɪnʲɪʃ iːɾˠ] , Inis Thiar [ˈɪnʲɪʃ hiəɾˠ] or Inis Oirthir [ˈɪnʲɪʃ ˈɛɾʲhəɾʲ] ) is the smallest and most easterly of the three Aran Islands in Galway Bay , Ireland . With 343 residents as of the 2022 census , it
781-443: 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 );
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#1732876818943852-698: 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
923-472: Is second-most populous of the Arans. Caomhán of Inis Oírr is the island's patron saint . There are five small settlements: Baile Thiar, Chapeltown (Baile an tSéipéil), Castle Village (Baile an Chaisleáin), Baile an Fhormna and Baile an Lorgain. The island was originally called Árainn Airthir , and later Inis Oirthir , which are thought to mean "eastern Aran" and "eastern island" respectively. The second element
994-506: 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
1065-480: Is the sunniest time, and also a good time to view flowers, with 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
1136-579: 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
1207-455: 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 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
1278-448: 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
1349-616: The Census of Ireland. Census data in Ireland before 1841 are not considered complete and/or reliable. The island is reached by ferry from Rossaveal in Connemara and Doolin in County Clare as well as from the other Aran Islands. There is also a regional airport on each island which is served from Connemara Regional Airport by AerArann. A pier was opened in Doolin in June 2015 for commercial ferries serving
1420-524: 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 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
1491-423: 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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#17328768189431562-528: The Inisheer Rocket Crew , rescued the entire crew from the stricken vessel using a breeches buoy ; an event captured in a pictorial display at the National Maritime Museum in Dún Laoghaire . The following sites on the island are designated as National Monuments : The table below reports data on Inis Oírr's population taken from Discover the Islands of Ireland (Alex Ritsema, Collins Press, 1999) and
1633-467: 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
1704-479: 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
1775-512: The Viséan period (Lower Carboniferous), formed as sediments in a tropical sea approximately 350 million years ago, and compressed into horizontal strata with fossil corals , crinoids , sea urchins and ammonites . Glaciation following the Namurian phase facilitated greater denudation. The result is that Inisheer is one of the finest examples of a Glacio- Karst landscape in the world. The effects of
1846-498: The last glacial period (the Midlandian) are most in evidence, with the island overrun by ice during this glaciation. The impact of earlier Karstification (solutional erosion) has been eliminated by the last glacial period, so any Karstification now seen dates from approximately 10,000 years ago and the island Karst is thus recent. Solutional processes have widened and deepened the limestone pavement. Pre-existing lines of weakness in
1917-460: 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 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
1988-458: The 14th-century ' O'Brien's Castle ' are sited near the island's highest point. In 1582 the O'Flahertys of Connemara captured it. Today O'Flahertys still live on the island. In 1652 it was given to the Cromwellian invasion force and the O'Flahertys were defeated. They saw no use for it and the castle was partially dismantled, it has been unoccupied since. The cargo vessel MV Plassy , which
2059-622: 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
2130-473: 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
2201-651: 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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2272-475: 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
2343-559: 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
2414-519: 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 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
2485-505: 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
2556-483: 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
2627-463: 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,
2698-415: 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 a small part of the Burren and is the smallest of the eight National Parks in Ireland, while the adjacent territory, including
2769-595: 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
2840-1020: 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
2911-444: 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
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2982-432: The gentian and orchids. Notable insects present include the butterfly the pearl-bordered fritillary ( Boloria euphrosyne ), brown hairstreak ( Thecla betulae ), marsh fritillary ( Euphydryas aurinia ) and wood white ( Leptidea sinapis ); the moths, the burren green ( Calamia tridens ), Irish annulet ( Gnophos dumetata ) and transparent burnet ( Zygaena purpuralis ); and the hoverfly Doros profuges . In 1885
3053-528: 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
3124-696: The island since 1901, but had never been used prior to this. The Rocket Crew had only enough fuel to launch three rockets, and stood up in their necks in the water to rescue the crew. The Rocket Crew consisted of Coleman Conneely, Andrew Conneely, Martin Conneely, Patrick Conneely x2,Liam Conneely, Joseph Conneely, Anne Conneely, Martin Folan, Martin Flaherty, Edward Flaherty, Sean Sharry, Martin Sharry, Thomas Costelloe, Martin O'Donnell, Patrick Griffin and Michael O'Donnell. The event
3195-437: The island. Islanders travel by foot or car around the island. Tourists can avail of tours/taxi trips by horse and trap. Irish is still today the daily language of the approximately 260 permanent residents. In addition, many school pupils from the mainland come to the island to learn Irish in an environment where it is a living language in the local college, Coláiste Laichtín during the months of June, July and August. Some of
3266-451: 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
3337-671: 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
3408-593: 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
3479-443: The limestone sea cliffs have attracted interest from rock-climbers , though the bigger islands of Inis Mór and Inis Meáin are more popular. Diving is possible. The island, including shots of the wrecked MV Plassy , is used to represent the fictional Craggy Island in the opening credits of the 1990s sitcom Father Ted . Inisheer is also the name of a well-known slow air written by Thomas Walsh from Dublin, after
3550-412: 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
3621-465: 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
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#17328768189433692-516: 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
3763-469: 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
3834-460: 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
3905-530: 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
3976-477: 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
4047-444: The rock (vertical joints) contribute to the formation of extensive fissures separated by clints (flat pavement-like slabs). The rock karstification facilitates the formation of subterranean drainage. The island has a temperate climate. Average air temperatures range from 15 °C (59 °F) in July to 6 °C (43 °F) in January. The soil temperature does not usually drop below 6 °C (43 °F). Since grass will grow once
4118-432: 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
4189-643: The sand. In the Middle Ages, the island was ruled by the O'Brien dynasty who provided most of the Kings of Thomond . This rule was exercised before the Anglo-Irish settled in Connacht in the 1230s. The Tribes of Galway paid the O'Briens an annual tribute of twelve tuns of wine "in consideration of their protection and expenses in guarding the bay and harbour of Galway against pirates and coast plunderers." The remains of
4260-450: The temperature rises above 6 °C (43 °F), this means that the island (like the neighbouring Burren ) has one of the longest growing seasons in Ireland, and supports diverse and rich plant growth. Late May is the sunniest time, and also likely the best time to view flowers, with the gentians and avens peaking (but orchid species blooming later). The island supports arctic , Mediterranean and alpine plants side-by-side, due to
4331-485: 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
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#17328768189434402-411: 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
4473-433: 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
4544-523: The unusual environment. Like the Burren, the Aran islands are known for their remarkable assemblage of plants and animals. The grikes (crevices) provide moist shelter, thus supporting a wide range of plants including dwarf shrubs. Where the surface of the pavement is shattered into gravel, many of the hardier Arctic or alpine plants can be found. But when the limestone pavement is covered by a thin layer of soil, patches of grass are seen, interspersed with plants like
4615-492: 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
4686-555: 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
4757-522: 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
4828-399: 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
4899-403: 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,
4970-507: 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 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
5041-454: Was shipwrecked off Inis Oírr on 8 March 1960, has since been thrown above the high tide mark at Carraig na Finise on the island by strong Atlantic waves. The wreck features in the opening credits of the TV show Father Ted . On the night of the wrecking, a young boy on the island spotted the grounded ship and ran to the village, where the alarm was raised. Approximately sixty islanders, including
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