Sacred Ground

I told Marian it would be a sunny Tuesday. “In what country?” she laughed back at me. “This one of course and I’ll be heading to the Burran. I’ve called Shane Connolly for what he would describe as a gentle ramble through the Burren. So it will be sunny” I responded. And as the sun set, I saw a glimmer of hope.

Wildberry Cottage and the village of Doolin is bounded by the sea to the west and mountains to the east. The clouds seem perpetually trapped over this land. The day dawned dimly, with the promise of sunshine so I was out early morning to meet Shane at the church car park in Ballyvaughan. I arrived early greeted by the smiling faces of four coffee-swilling, gossiping farmers. “It’s taking a break we are. Are you here for Shane? Well, he’ll be around in a silver jeep at three minutes till the hour.” I told my coffee group that Shane said we would not go if the other walkers did not show: “I won’t go into the mountain with just one person; obvious reasons.” “How about you? Want to walk through the Burren to see the geology?” They laughed at that suggestion. Shane arrived as the famers said, three minutes till the hour. But the other walkers did not. Shane said Thursday afternoon was another option but I decided to set out on my own, guide or not. “Start at the Aillwee Cave and then drive over to the tomb.” The tomb he meant was Poulnabrone, dating back 5,800 years. Getting to Ballyvaughan was no simple feat. Up and down Corkscrew Hill, with five, count them, five 180 degree turns. I decided to take Shane’s advice and stay in the area.

Ailwee Cave is found deep under the limestone mountains of the Burran. The cave was first discovered in 1940 by John O’Brien while rabbit hunting. He literally chased a rabbit into a hole, a hole that turned out to be this limestone cave. The hike to the cave’s entrance was almost as challenging as climbing Kennesaw Mountain!

A view from the top of the hill where the entrance to the cave is located. I seem to remember someone telling me that the food in Ireland wasn’t that great. Oh my! Not my experience. My reward for climbing the hill to the cave, waiting for the tour to begin, warm apple pie with fresh whipped cream! As they say in Ireland: "Lovely!"

Then into the cave.

The cave is a result of the same processes I previously described: sedimentation, rising and falling sea level, moving landforms. Scientists have discovered that this cave was once the home of the brown bear, now extinct in Ireland. Bear bones, at least 2000 years old, were found in hibernation sites within the cave after excavation began in the 1970’s. Aillwee Cave 125 km under the limestone mountains, contains waterfalls, naturally bridged chasms, stalactites, and stalagmites. Calcium carbonate, dissolved from the limestone, drips to form hollow tubes like these, called straws. Slow growing, the straws increase in length only 1 centimeter every 50 years. The straws serve as a pathway for water to the floor of the cave.

When straws get “clogged”, stalactites begin to form These calcium carbonate accumulations take even longer to progress, growing at a rate of 1 centimeter every 100 years. Some deposits, like this stalagmite, grow from the cave floor, up.

And sometimes the two forms meet. This will eventually become one form, in about 150 years. Look how small the gap between the two actually is.

After emerging from the cave I stopped for a snack at the cheese shop on the ground. When I say cheese shop I mean, a shop where cheese is made: Burren Gold.

Cheese made that morning by these lovely ladies.

After sampling several types of farmer’s cheese and a taste of locally distilled mead (the drink of ancient Irish kings), I headed to the raptor center. There I met Anne Sims, a Kentucky girl, who as she said, “fell in love with Ireland” as she showed me her wedding band. Anne married a local science teacher and although she is a librarian, chooses to now work at the raptor center. “Hurry, they’re about to fly the birds.” In I went. to see owls, Harris hawks, and falcons. Jonathan, Harris hawks hunt in packs: they are the most efficient pack hunters right after African hunting dogs. I bet that’s what we saw that day in Tifton: Harris hawks chasing ducks for supper!

There is a huge effort in Ireland to rescue birds of prey from their endangered status. They are endangered for several reasons: hunting, loss of habitat, and accidental poisoning. It’s that food chain thing: poisons become most concentrated at the top of the chain, the predators.

Leaving Aillwee, a drive east through the Burren yielded amazing landscapes. Amazingly, interspersed throughout the rocky terrain were farms with both cows and sheep grazing the patches of grass scattered in the limestone.

The Burren is sacred ground. It covers 200 square miles and contains, unbelieveably, over 70% of Ireland’s native plant species, including 24 species of orchids and 25 types of ferns. Alpine, artic, and Mediterranean plants have been brought to the area by migrating birds as well. If you look closely, the landscape resembles the photos from the coast at Doolin. These shapes are chacateristic of Karst toography. The fissures are called sikes (sykes) and the flat surfaces or blocks are clints. Imagine Neolithic man living in this place, in a spot like the one here. That was exactly the case, about 5,800 years ago. This is the site of the Poulnabrone Domen, a striking example of the ancient monuments to the dead common throughout this part of Ireland. The name of this capstone dolmen means “pool of sorrows”. Excavation during the 1980’s revealed the skeletons of 22 bodies, men, women, and children. It was difficult to wrap my mind around 5,800 years ago; but the Burren reinforces that idea of timelessness. That life here, then and now, is just a speck in the ages of Earth, in the ages it took to form these layers of rock I stood on.

Taking advantage of sunshine (See Marian, I was right!), I headed to the Cliffs of Moher. Risking life and limb, I came to a quick stop as I left the area. There, roadside, fresh raspberries. Who couldn’t stop. I met Margrit, who came to Ireland (again for love) 32 years ago. We chatted over her beautiful raspberries and I left with some for the ride home.

The Cliffs of Moher rise to 700 feet at their highest point and range for 5 miles over the Atlantic Ocean. The Cliffs formed about 320 million year ago during the Upper Carboniferous period. Layers of siltstone, sandstone, and shale form the cliffs and because of the arrangement of the strata, the man horizontal ledges provide nest sites and resting places for numerous bird species. South Cliffs toward Hags Head. Then the view from O’Brien’s Tower to the north.

O’Brien’s Tower was built in 1835 by Cornelius O’Brien, a descendent of Brian Boru’ , the High King of Ireland.

Back to my town, Doolin, and supper at McGann’s Pub. Should I choose the barbeque ribs? I can’t imagine!From today’s specials, I opted for a traditional Irish meal: a pint of Guinness (and it was cold for all you doubters), and the bacon and cabbage with parsley sauce. I was told this was “boiled bacon” so I was a bit hesitant. But the boiled bacon turned out to be boneless pork, the cabbage was delightful, and I got mashed potatoes to boot. There I met Mary and Noreen, the McCormick twins, who promised me a drive to see the “real” secrets of the Burren. Their only condition, one of them had to drive; they don’t trust Americans behind the wheel! I drove home a happy girl!

The Resilience of Life on Earth

"He will realize that he has entered into a land different in every respect from that he has left behind." ~1901 William Crossing

The land is wild and rugged and rough and it seeps into your soul as you meander through the fields and across the rocky shore. I gave up trying to work at the house. That should've been a sign - "No work on holiday", Marian told me. Marian Sheedy, the owner of my house as well as a charming bed and breakfast in Doolin, Roadford. Marian and her husband Frank have taken me in, so to speak. They've taken me into the dining room at Roadford House, kept me in coffee and treats as I work, looking out their bay window.

After some work, some coffee, and chocolate pie I headed out to O'Connor's Pub per Marian's directive. Off to the pub for music and the Irish football play-offs. But also off to too many tourists, so I passed the pub and headed to the end of the road and the ocean.

Doolin's coast is reminiscent of the New England coast: Block Island or Narragansett. But it is wild and bleak. Or so it seems. What struck me, as I walked out over the endless tableau of rock, is the resilience of life. Tucked away, in pockets in black rock, were life forms of all kinds.

Between 400 million and 300 million years ago, northwest Europe – including Ireland – sank beneath a warm, calcium-rich sea. Great coral reefs formed in these waters, eventually creating the limestone that still makes up about 65 per cent of the rock mantle of the island. As the waters receded, tropical forests and swamps flourished. The resulting vegetable debris eventually formed coal, most of which was later eroded. This period, known as the Carboniferous period, ended with further tectonic movement which saw Ireland drift further northward. The resulting pressure created those Irish mountain and hill ranges that run in a northeast to southwest direction. 250 million years ago, Ireland was at the latitude of present-day Egypt and had a desert climate. It was at this time that most of the coal and sandstone were eroded. The thinner layers of limestone in the south of the country were also partially affected by this erosion. The limestone that was exposed by the disappearance of its sandstone mantle was affected by carbon dioxide and other factors resulting in a karstic landscape that can still be seen in the Burren in County Clare. County Clare, here I am.

And these photos may not be for all of you. As a science teacher, I was in heaven. See if you can spot the spider web hidden within these rocks!

Lichens, soil-formers, on exposed surfaces of rock.

Fossils in the making. Can you see the shells?

Plants take hold, after the lichens, wherever there is a crack in the rock along with some water.

Tiny, black mussel-like organisms; Marian and I cannot agree on their name. But they are everywhere. I would say this represents "cockles and mussels" of some type.

And as the sun began to set, I turned back toward WIldberry Cottage and home. Yes, that's the road to the house!

My house on the hill. . .

Coastal Road

As Internet access at Wildberry Cottage can best be described as spotty, I want to share my wild ride down road 67 to County Clare. Before you read further, understand that this road, outlined by stone walls and the rugged coast, is barely wide enough to allow two cars to pass one another. Throw a cyclist or a hiker into the mix and its a treacherous go!


An uneventful highway drive found me hungry in Kinvara, County Galway and I stopped at the Pizza Cafe. Yes, stone baked pizza in the heart of the Burren as well as an eclectic mix of food. The proprietor/tess is a bit testy [Asked a customer, "What kind of Irish Merlot do you have today?" "None, said Gerry. "The Irish don't make wine; they make whiskey."],  the waitress sullen, but the food is wonderful. The proprietess, Gerry, and Mr. Ted suggested I drive the coastal road to Doolin, "a mere 24 miles, young lady." Young lady: that seems to be the preferred term with which to address even not so young ladies in Ireland. 24 miles? 2 hours later . . . 

But the drive was spectacular! I would've driven this road for 20 hours!

When you see the Burren, you'll understand why everything here is stone.

I knew, by the smoke that so gracefully curl’d
Above the green elms, that a cottage was near;
And I said, “If there ’s peace to be found in the world,
A heart that was humble might hope for it here.”
~Thomas Moore

Fanore church ruins

Tomb in the Burren

No way to describe the scenery. My camera died as I rounded the coastal corner toward Doolin; more photos of this area to follow at a later date. Turn left off of 67 at the 

Ballinalachen castle ruins

Up and down the hills of a one-car road, until you reach Wildberry Cottage

My neighbors

Frankie Sheedy met me with scones and bread, a key to my cottage, and directions to the closest grocery store. "Are stores opened on Sunday?" "Of course," replied Frankie. "We used to be Catholics, now we're just money hungry. And you know, we're in a recession.  But for goodness sake, stay away from Lisdoonvarna. It's the month long match making festival, it is. You won't come out."  

So I headed to Ennistymon instead. Susan, I'm eating Irish farmer's cheese from the Wicklow Mountains. There were Irish lamb chops, that I'm going back for another day, produce and meats and fish and cheeses . . . And a nod to Gerry at the Pizza Cafe, I'm drinking Chilean wine.